The Ocean Is Calling
by CaptainPrivate
Summary: When you're stuck in a world with Sea Kings, titanic storms, and a Navy that will LITERALLY do anything to kill you if you screw up, ya generally want to stick with the Straw Hat Pirates. Unfortunately, one question remains: Where the hell are they, and WHY AM I IN THE NEW WORLD? (Self-Insert)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 **A.N.: Hello, Readers! My name is CaptainPrivate, and I am pretty new to this whole writing thing. This is my first story, and if I'm being honest, I was scared about writing. But, the Cross-Brain's _This Bites!_ got me to swallow my fears and do it, so enjoy!**

 **Chapter 1**

" _Gum Gum…" The haki-black arm of one Monkey D. Luffy cocks back, folding in on itself like a massive rubber spring. His torso bulged out like some comical joke, but the speed he had shown just panels before confirm that Fourth Gear was no joke._

" _RRRAAAAAAAGH!" bellows one Donquixote Doflamingo, throwing every string in Dressrosa at the legendary captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, desperate to halt the raw power of the opposing force._

" _King Kong…" Luffy huffs, steam hissing from every pore in his body, his reddish-black skin glowing with heat, and the contraction of his fist into his forearm reached its apex._

" _STRAAAW HAAAAAT!"_

"GUN _!" and with that, the game was over._

My heart jumps as I read the masterful dialogue and take in the beautiful art style of one Eiichiro Oda. _That was an amazing fight_ , I grin, the sun beating down on my face. The thoughtful manga writer really had forged an amazing universe, almost as well with the pen as Shakespeare had with words. He did good, and was now a man that I look up to for his prowess in writing. In fact, I've been following the story for, what, is it two years now? Oh, how time flies.

"Hey, dipshit," a voice sounds behind me, "Get up, we're going out on the boat."

"Fuck off," I groan, and without looking up from my phone screen, I flip the finger in the speaker's general direction, "I'm reading," the person I am flipping off is Nate, my brother. And my brother, to say it simply, is a dick. However, because he's my brother, I still love him. Don't tell him I said that.

"Well, then what're ya reading?" I feel the blight of my life's chin on my head, and I instantly click the power button on the side of my iphone 6s.

"That is something that _you_ don't need to know," I grunt, bucking my head back. My skull hits the bottom of his chin, and he jerks back, surprised.

"Woah!" he snorts, " _Someone_ is on their period!"

"Yeah, well…" my brain shorts out, and I come up blank. _Come on, Ian! Think!_ "Fuck you," well done, Ian, well _fucking_ done.

My brother thinks the same thing, and slaps the back of my head, "Nice going, Dumb and Dumber," he shakes my head around, jiggling my grey matter around and about.

"Stop," I mumble, irritated, "I don't wanna go out on the boat, and you can't make me."

Always proving me wrong, my brother wraps both of his arms underneath my armpits, and _lifts_. "Up and at 'em! Gramps gave us this boat, and we're using it!"

I tried to struggle, I really did, but you see, my brother is easily ten times stronger than I am, and I am a weak bastard, so there was no choice but to slather on more sunscreen and venture into the great beyond on some old-ass boat.

"Why do _I_ have to, though?" I whine as I trudge through the sand, easily my least favorite part of the beach. As episode II states: it's coarse, rough, and gets everywhere.

"Because," my brother runs his fingers through his light brown hair, his slightly sunburnt skin cooking in the harsh light, "Mom said that we have to spend more time together, and I don't want to open _that_ particular bag of poisonous snakes."

" _Venomous_ ," I correct him, "Seriously, if I didn't know you, I would say that you never went through Sophomore Biology."

My brother is someone that I've learned to live with, mainly due to the fact that he's shorter than me. Not by much, but juuuust enough that I can brag about it. Unfortunately, that _usually_ ends with me getting punched in the gut. He has hazel eyes, unlike my blue, and is _much_ thicker than I am. I don't mean with fat, I mean _muscle_. The guy is jacked, and the fact that he's a dick to me and only me is very worrying whenever he's around. We arrive at our Grandpa's old rowboat, the _Nicholas II_ , and clamber in. Everything was how I remembered it to be; the polished oars, the freshly coated interior, the ornate bow. For an old ship, my grandpa really put some effort into keeping it seaworthy.

"Well, dipshit," my brother sighs, "Ya ready?"

"Yeah," I rub the polished wood of the bow, remembering the way the old man had taught me all I know about ships and how they work. He had died a few weeks ago, and he had left me and my brother each half of the boat. So today, we were going out on a short trip to the island he had always taken us when we were younger, to spread our portion of his ashes off the cliffs there. I know it's disrespectful to whine and complain about a trip like this one, but I've always done that to Nate, and I ain't stopping now!

Nate pushes the small rowboat into the waves of the Pacific, water spraying onto me. _Grandpa, I hope you like it_ , I stare at the bright blue water, clear and clean. This place was always good for a swim, but I didn't feel like it today - it was too calm, _too_ pristine to disturb, so instead, I just sit here and wait for the waves to carry us.

"What do you think?" my brother grunts, and I glance back, "Will those clouds make it to us?"

Indeed, a cluster of dark clouds was making its way toward us, the mist-like rain creating a hazy screen, with rainbows poking out every now and then as the sun glints. "No, I doubt it," I respond, and we sit in silence after that, the storm slowly gathering in the distance.

The stupor I am in is shattered as the boat bumps against the rocks of the island shore. "We're here," Nate grunts as he hops out, causing the boat to sway. He splashes down, and pulls a crude leather bag out of his pocket; the bag my grandpa made to hold his ashes. I follow, the freezing water sending a chill up my spine, and I shiver in the warm summertime air. Despite being so far north, Oregon is quite warm in the summer, but the water still freezes like a _bitch_.

"So," I begin as I splash onto the rocky shore, my sandals sloshing water left and right, "Shall we begin?"

"I believe we shall," and with that, we began our journey. The island was humble, pretty much a rock in the ocean, but grass and bushes supported a pretty diverse amount of wildlife, primarily rabbits and small birds. When I was younger, this place felt like a country, ready for me to explore. Now, coming back, this place was tiny.

"Which cliff was it again?" Nate asks me, looking around the rocky path we walk, "I don't remember."

"It was the one with the tree he planted," I respond with little to no enthusiasm. It wasn't anything that I wanted, saying goodbye. It hurt, because I never _did_ anything with him, my grandpa. At every chance that allowed it, I would always go off and play video games, ignoring the old man, and I didn't think about what losing him would be like. I took him for granted, thought he would always be there, but the strength and power that made the old man himself, it didn't help against cancer.

The genetic failure was unstoppable, and the moment we heard, I knew that we would never be able to make up for spent time. The strong pillar of our family was brought to a pile of skin and bones, laid low by the fury of a combined colon, bone, and liver. We didn't even find out about it until four weeks after it had gotten to him, and the tuesday after I had visited and said my final goodbye, he died. From what my dad said, it was painful and long, happening at two in the morning, and lasting until around three thirty. After that, it was never the same for me.

"There it is…" Nate mutters as we walk up a steep slope, and at the top, there it stood. The tree itself was simple, a pine tree, but the spray from the sea had killed it long ago. That, and the lack of underground nutrients in the rocky soil.

"It's all dead," I huff as I hop on a rock, my sandals providing little footing, but I manage to keep my ground. The tree was shriveled, unnatural, and turning a decomposing brown, and the needles are starting to fall off. It shriveled like my grandpa, and around the same time. A sick simile.

"The wind is really blowing!" my brother exclaims as we reach the top, and the front of the storm was close, far too close than it should have been.

 _If God is real, this is his fucking fury_ , I think as I look out at the waves. The ones near the cliffside were smaller, choppy, but that wasn't what garnered my attention. Closer to the storm, tsunami-worthy titans sloshed about, spraying water everywhere. A flash of lightning lights up the dark clouds, black and bloated with water, like cows ripe for the slaughter.

Nate taps my shoulder. "Hey, Ian?" he asks, "I think we should come back another time. You know, when it _isn't_ all storm of the century out here?"

I spin on my heel, irritated. "Bullshit!" I yell, furious, "You expect us to have come all this way just to turn back!? Hell no! If you won't do it, then I _will_!" I yank the leather bag out of his hand, and stomp up to the edge of the cliff, overlooking the sea, fifty feet below. _See ya, grandpa_ , and with that thought, I open the chord keeping it closed, and empty the contents over the side. The dust filters out, blowing every direction, and a gust of wind causes the rest to swirl into the air, to be spread all over the ocean. With a satisfied nod, I begin to turn back, but a sudden, powerful gust of wind sweeps me off my feet, the slick rocks providing my footing doing little to aid.

"Ian!" I hear Nate cry as my back slams into the stone below me, and I am barely aware of the fact that the top part of my torso was hanging over the side of the cliff. The noises of my brother cursing and slipping reach my ears, no doubt to grab my slowly shifting body, but a flash of reddish-brown in the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I turn my head, which causes me to slide ever farther down the edge. I am moving gradually now, the constant rate bringing me nearer to the sea.

My brain, still recovering from the shock of rock hitting my spine, realizes that I am about to fall, and I react, but it was too late. _Did either of us actually think to tie up the boat_? That is my last thought before I slide off the rock, plummeting towards the ocean below.

I strike with a forceful _sploosh_ , and the freezing pacific water envelops my skin, the thin layer of oxygen that naturally forms doing little to stave off the chill. My t-shirt drag me down slightly, but I quickly shed the heavier cloth, leaving me in only swim trunks and my sandals. Soon, however, the situation dawns on me: I'm going to drown. Panic rises through my throat, trying to force its way out in the form of frantic screeching, but I force it down, knowing the result of _that_ specific endeavor, and start clawing towards the surface. _No, I can't die here_ , my vision starts to blur, the combination of salt and carbon dioxide slowly suffocating my body. _I made… a promise… can't… die…_

"Gagh- * _hack_ *!" I sputter, gasping for breath as I burst through the surface, and I look up as rain pelts my face. The clouds had closed in, black and foreboding, and whatever elation that I had felt by getting to the surface fell away, replaced instead by bowel-dropping terror. Tsunami-sized waves tore through the sea, bearing down on my patch of water. Each swell in wind pushed me further towards the rocky cliff, bringing me closer to death. _Ohgodohgodohgogohgod_ , I frantically swing my head, looking for something, anything that I could latch onto.

My saving grace came in the form of a small, red cedar row boat that had drifted away from the shore, the name _Nicholas II_ painted on the side in big, black letters. I thrashed my way through the water, fighting the currents with every stroke, until finally, I collapse onto the polished interior, heaving in an attempt to empty my lungs of fluid. Each of my breaths rattled as I roll onto my back, and blackness ebbs at the edges of my vision. _I don't…_ want… _to die…_ I can feel my brain shutting down, each of my limbs becoming immovable hulks of stone, and the boat rocks as waves crash, the center of the storm closing in. _I… don't… wa… n… t_. The last thing that I see before I slip into sweet oblivion is a plethora of colors, swirling above and around me.

Swirling.

Swirling.

Swirling.

Like mist.

 **Well, I'd say that was a good chapter. Nowhere near what the top peeps get, but good nonetheless. I'm planning on updating the story every weekend (hopefully), and I have really big hopes for this. If anyone wants to edit, PM me. Anyways, I will see you in a week! See ya!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **AN: Hello again! This is the second chapter of Ian's story, and if you guys think he's gonna be OP, think again! He gon' get** _ **f*cked**_ **! *Muahahaha* Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

 _Cold, dark, dead_ , I swirl about in a void, black and damp, _Cold, too cold, dark, damp_. My mind races, trying to remember how I got here. _Something about a boat_ , on the word 'boat', I catch a glimpse of red in the corner of my eye. I somehow spin about in that soupy darkness, now facing the shape of my grandfather's boat, the _Nicholas II_. I swim over - how did I do that? - to the familiar wooden construct, running my hand on the smooth red cedar, and pull myself in, sitting where my grandfather always had.

A strange warmth emanates from the seat, and it slowly seeps through my bones, surrounding me and staving off the void. A soft glowing flows out from its red shape, lighting up my surroundings, and the boat gradually begins a gentle rocking, giving the feel of being at sea.

The light stretches out, purging all the dampness and shadow, and I can just barely make out dark blue waves splashing against my vessel's side. The warmth, fully enveloping my saving grace, is becoming hotter, much hotter than before. Like fire, it begins eating away at the void, consuming the dampness with a furious vigour.

Warm.

Warm.

 _Warm_.

Hot.

Hotter.

 _HOT_!

" _OHDEARSWEETGOD_!" I scream, my body on fire. My eyes snap open, and a flash of light illuminates the world, revealing an intensely blue sky with white clouds dotting the scene. I lurch up from my position on the bottom of the boat. The first thing I notice is how badly sunburned my exposed chest is, each movement sending an ache spiking through my brain. _Owowowowooooooowooooh_ , I groan and squeeze my eyes closed as I roll onto my knees, and glance around me.

Water. Water all around me.

I just stare at the massive ocean I'm in the middle of for what seems like hours, attempting to make sense of what had happened. _How did I get here? Where is here?_ These questions roll through my consciousness several hundred times, each cycle confusing me more than the last.

" _Coo!_ " a loud noise echoes off the waves, coming from above me.

"Who?" I wince as I stretch my lobster-red skin, my voice coarse and rough from disuse. _How long was I out?_ Another question to the pile as I take in the creature above me.

" _Coo!_ " the animal was avian, of that I was sure. It looked to be a seagull, but something was just off. Its body was too thick, too bulky, and a little decorative marine hat sat on its head. The plumage was a ruffled white, and as it descended in a circular motion, I caught sight of a bag strapped to its chest, holding what looked to be _newspapers_ , which flutter in the breeze. The image of the bird itches at something in the back of my brain, like I've seen it before, but I can't remember where I would have seen such a strange animal.

The beast settles on the bow of my little life-vessel, and immediately brings a wing up in a makeshift salute. _What the fuck_ , bewildered by the gesture, I hesitantly salute back.

The - seagull? - brings down its wing, and with a taloned foot, pulls out one of the newspapers inside its bag. " _Coo?_ " it pushes the article towards me, and I gingerly reach out a hand.

"Is this… for me…?" I ask it, simultaneously berating myself for talking to a bird wearing a _hat_ of all things.

Just as I'm about the grasp the paper, the bird yanks it back. " _Coo coo coo!_ " it waves a wing in what I can only assume is a 'nonono' gesture, and holds out the other.

I blink, confused until the avian brandishes a bag, and I can hear the clinking of coins inside. "Do you want money for it?" I ask, and the bird nods, "Why would you need money?" the itching at the back of my mind has become a full-on feather-fest, and the term for this bird was right on the tip of my tongue… frontal lobe…

I'm snapped out of my train of thought by a small pamphlet slapping me in the face, and when I glance at the bird, it's… whistling? _How can a bird whistle?_ I snort as I pick up the smaller paper, and halt as I catch sight of the seal on the front. It was a blue cross, with circles printed in the center and at the ends of each limb. The words ' _World Government_ ' were scrawled across the bottom, and the clouds drifted away. " _Ohfuckme_ ," I breathe, realizing my position. _I'm in the world of One Piece, aren't I?_ I gently lower my face into my hand, and start shaking, my heart pounding as fear courses through my veins.

" _Coo?_ " the bird - a News Coo - well, _coos_ , tilting its head as my head touches down on the floor of the _Nicholas II_.

" _GRAGH!_ " I snap, flinging the pamphlet as far away from me as I possibly can, and the Coo squacks indignantly, flapping up into the air. In my blind rage, I yank off one of my sandals and hurl it at the bird. "Leave me alone, you damned chicken!" I scream, voice cracking as my reality sets in, "Leave… me… alo-o-one…" the surge of energy leaves me as crushing depression takes its place, and I collapse of the small deck, sobbing.

I shake uncontrollably, remembering my family, my friends, and everyone that I most definitely left, just to get stuck here. _I'm never_ *hic* _going to see any of them again_ … I hiccup, tears flowing down my nose, getting absorbed into the wood, _And I'm all alone out here_ … I think back to minutes earlier, when I drove off the News Coo. Despite how cruel it seems, I could have eaten him… her?... it's hard to tell animal gender without getting wierd. A the very least, I could've had him lead me to land or something.

And so, curled up in the bottom of my grandfather's hand-made boat, I cried. I cried and cried and cried, cried until night covered the vast blue sea, the once-blue water now a voided black. I cried until my metaphorical darkness became pure reality, and I dissolved into the shadows of my mind.

I cried because I, Ian Kelly, was alone.

=( **Two Days Later** )=

" _Ca… Ca… Ca…_ " the loud _cawing_ of some avian creature draws me out of my rest, and a quick glance upwards confirms that yes, I am being circled by a group of four vultures.

 _Ungh_ , I wince as my stomach growls, _I can't go on like this_. I had been pressed for food the moment I found myself here, and in that time, I - not really - recovered from the shock of likely being stuck in… _Wow_ , I realize, _Oda never once gave this world a name, did he?_

The past forty-eight hours were an amalgamation of me sobbing myself dry, trying to shield myself with my remaining sandal and swim trunks, and figuring out how to go to the bathroom without throwing the boat's weight to hell and back. Overall, I'd say it was mediocre at best, hellish at worst.

I glance down at the rest of my body, and grimace as I take in the state of my skin. Where it was once lobster-red, it was now a flaming crimson, with patches of my epidermis practically falling off at random intervals. Already, I had started to become dehydrated, and I'd experienced at least one sunstroke so far. If I kept going like this, I was going to die.

" _Skra!_ " an outburst from the vultures circling above me halts my self-inspection, and I glance at the feather-rat. Two of the four were getting into a small conflict, with talons flashing and beaks pecking at exposed necks. I'm pretty sure that despite how lethal it looks, this was their equivalent of a spat. I'm pretty sure it was over my remains as well.

 _THUD_

I stagger and fall to the deck as the _Nicholas II_ lurches, having struck something ahead. I clamber through the wooden benches up to the bow, and to my ire, find that the haunting image of a sunken ship is not the most pleasant thing to see.

Through the clear water, the silhouette of a _massive_ galleon dominates the area, its cargo floating this way and that on the vast waves. _How did I not see this earlier?_ I ask myself as a crate drifts by, _I checked around me… I must be getting delusional or something…_ I gulp nervously, my parched throat rubbing against itself, _If that_ is _the case, then shit_. Another crate makes its way by, a dried-out human arm disturbingly hanging over the side, with a strange but far too familiar device attached to its wrist.

I shakily reach for the disturbing limb, fear coursing through me as I remember all of the zombie games I had played before I got thrown in this mess. Swallowing my fear, I snatch the skeletal forearm and tear the Log-Pose from its possession, tossing what's left into the ocean. Jittery, and _extremely_ horrified by what I had just done, I give my new possession a once-over.

To my dread, the Log-Pose had three orbs, each with its own needle and base. " _Ca!_ " the sounds of the vultures echo the death bells that I now hear in my head, and I slump down onto the foremost bench.

"I'm in the New World…" I breathe gently, simply paralyzed with fear at the idea, "I'm in the New- _goddamn_ -World… Heh…" I chuckle, a quiet sound at first, but with each heave, I grow louder, "Heh… heh… heheh… heheheha… heheeheheh… hahaha _hahaHAHAHAHAAAAHAH!_ " I laugh, as big and loud as I can. _It all makes sense now…_ I think as my reality is true, _I'm going to die here, and there is_ nothing _that I can do about it! HAH!_ My grin is wide, wider than it ever has been, and I'm light, lighter than air.

Cracking up, I pop from my seat, clawing my way to the red cedar bow, and scream. It's a hollow, haunting sound, echoing across the lonely sea. I'm still light, but the hairs on my neck raise as I see clouds quickly forming above me, and the waves become more chaotic as the wind howls, chafing against my sunburnt skin. My scream is drowned out as a flash of lightning tears down through the sky, slamming into the sea next to me.

" _THIS IS IT!_ " I bellow, falling back into the boat, knocking my head on the wood. The pain begins, but ends just as quickly as I tear at my skin, which is burning, and I tear off the layers in massive swaths, exposing the raw flesh underneath, " _COME ON, NATURE! SHOW ME HOW TO DIE!_ "

As if in response, I see a mountainous mass of ice and water break through the clouds, sending the vaporious material trailing behind it. Then, the water next to me exploded.

Droplets of concentrated salt-water solution splash against my raw skin, causing it to burn like all hell, but the source is what garnered my attention. A whale, gargantuan in size and the color of powdery snow tore through the sea, and a flash of lightning illuminated the pitch black sky, revealing figures standing on top. I hear someone faraway bark orders, and see a fiery flash of blue and yellow dart towards the massive ball of hail that was hurtling toward me, and in a brilliant whirlwind of fire and steam, the colossal block split cleanly down the middle.

I stare in awe as tiny flakes of ice drift down like snow, becoming lost in the spectacle of power I had just beheld. "What… was… waaa…" What little speech I could muster was hoarse and scratchy, but that didn't matter - I was just that awed.

"Quite the spectacle, isn't it?" a confident baritone sounds out behind me, giving the speaker a sense of being cocky, but also humble.

I stretch my neck, tilting my head back, but after my rush of adrenaline, the aches and pains are beginning to set back in. "Who's there?" I said, or at least tried to. It came out as more of a 'ose hair?'

The stranger chuckles. "Wow, you look like shit kid. Who let you out near the exit of Fishman Island anyways?"

I stay quiet, not knowing what this newcomer had in store.

"Not much of a talker, kid?" the voice huffs, and I hear rough leather on wood, like some kind of sandal, "Well, you're in bad shape, so I'll help you. Hey, Pops!" the man - yes, it was definitely a guy - yells in the direction of the whale, just as rain starts to pelt my oozing skin, "There's someone in this little boat over here! He's pretty messed up!"

"Father says to bring him onboard, Marco!" I hear the voice of another man sound from the whale, which I guess could be a ship. This voice is much less rugged than that of the 'Marco' that is next to me.

"Alright!" 'Marco' says, "I'll bring him up, Vista!"

 _Marco_ , I think to myself as I feel my vessel lurch, being lifted up into the air by some strange force, _And Vista! Where have I heard those names before? Damn_ , I furrow my brow as I come up short, _Why can't I_ think _right now!?_

"Hey, what ya got there, Marco?" a deep bass rumbles, and the _Nicholas II_ shifts as this Marco guy answers.

"Don't know who he is yet, Jozu, but he's young," my carrier responds, "How he survived on his own this long has to be a miracle in and of itself," my grandpa's boat jolts as it's set down on a solid object, and the entire thing tips to the side, spilling me from the small wooden deck onto a larger… wooden… deck…

 _Wait_ , I think to myself, dehydration clawing at my sanity, _What's that?_ While someone talks behind me, I stare up at what appears to be a black flag, with a skull and crossbones emblazoned of both sides. It's impossible to make out the design, but just knowing that I'm on a pirate ship sends ice coursing through my veins.

"Hey, kid!" I feel someone sit me up from my sprawled position on the much larger deck, "Pops asked you a question, now answer him!"

"F… flag… pi… rates…" I mumble numbly, unable to muster any kind of coherent speech.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" a scratchy voice caught somewhere between bass and baritone sounds a lonely echo in my ears, and it compels me to attempt looking up, buuut the skin on my everywhere begins to explode in spikes of pain whenever I try, "That flag has been on the top of that mast for over thirty years, and this ship has sailed for just as long."

"Who… _are_ you…?" I painfully force out the question, each syllable impossibly difficult.

" _Guuuurarararara!_ " the voice booms, each blast echoing off of the wood, the waves, and the clouds. In that moment, I realized where I had heard the names Marco, Jozu, and Vista. I knew what symbol was on that flag, and I knew it well.

 _Holy shit_ , I stare up into the sky, taking in the clouds and the pure light, _I… can't believe it…_

"You've got some balls asking me a question like that, kid!" the massive figure of one Edward Newgate slams his gargantuan glaive into the wooden deck as if to emphasize his point, "But nevertheless, welcome aboard the home and ship of the Whitebeard Pirates! Welcome aboard the _Moby Dick_!"

 **AN: Okay, allow me to explain why I updated so quickly, and then my plan for future ones. My plan is to update every Friday, so you can expect longer chapters in the future. I just updated so quickly because I wanted to get the baselines of how Ian gets to meet the Whitebeards and all the commanders. Next chapter is going to be focused on our dehydrated boy's interaction with the crew, so if you want to see a specific Whitebeard Commander, PM me or leave a comment or something. See ya next Friday!**

 **P.S. I was NOT expecting this much support on my first day, so seriously, thank you. It really helps my writing motive knowing that people want to see more.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **AN: Hello, readers, I'm baa-aack! And here's chapter three!**

Chapter 3

I… don't know what to expect. I mean, I'm not complaining about the fact that, despite being in burning pain, I'm meeting the straight up _legend_ that is Edward Newgate, but I just… wasn't expecting it.

"Hey, kid! What's your name?"

But I _definitely_ didn't expect to be greeted so enthusiastically, and _certainly_ not by one Fourth Division Commander Thatch.

"Look, man," the pompadour-rocking swordsman taps me on the shoulder for the twentieth time that day, "I don't wanna keep calling you 'kid', it just doesn't seem right!"

"For the last time, Thatch, I told you. He's not ready to move or talk yet," a young brown-haired nurse with beautiful hazel eyes hidden under black-rimmed glasses and fair features whose name tag reads _Maria_ grabs the doomed commander's ear and drags him to the medical room door, "So, please, show some respect by kindly screwing off," she practically tosses him out, sending him crashing into a small contingent of curious crewman standing outside.

The Fourth Commander rubs his head, sitting up on top of seven other crewmates. "Aw, come on, Maria-" he's promptly cut off as the Nurse slams the door in his face.

"Seriously, they have _no_ sense of privacy," I hear the brunette mutter, still turned away from me.

As I lay on the clean white bed, I think on the way that she tossed Thatch, showing surprising strength. _I wonder how often things like this happen?_ I stare at her back, but quickly avert my eyes as she turns to me. Hey, I'm sixteen and alone in a room with a beautiful woman, what do you expect me to do? Man, sometimes I really hate being a teenager.

"So, how are you feeling today?" my caretaker asks me, pulling a clipboard out of god-knows-where.

As a response, I blink three times, giving her my level of comfort, which went from one at the most and ten at the least. Nodding, she marks something down with a pencil.

"Are you keeping hydrated?" another question, which I respond by blinking once, meaning 'yes' to that specific question. Her hazel eyes dart down past her straight nose to the clipboard once more. Another mark.

 _Knock knock knock_. A harsh rapping noise breaks the mundane task, and I hear a male voice, "Hey, Maria-"

"FOR THE LAST TIME, I TOLD YOU TO SCREW OFF!" Maria screams, having visually snapped. Her eye twitches in irritation, and she spins on a heel, stomps to the door and yanks it open, coming face-to-face with a pineapple.

Said pineapple stares her down with a bored expression. "Feisty today, are we?" Marco pushes past her, and stares me directly in the eye as he stands five feet from the foot of my bed, "So, I've got some news for ya, kid. The crew wants to know your story, so you should get up to the deck."

Almost instantly, Maria steps between me and the Phoenix-Man. "Marco, even though you're the First Division Commander, you can't just force him out into the sun when he's still recovering from first and second-degree burns, as well as the damage his skin took when the ocean water got in-"

"Pops' orders," those two words immediately made any argument void, and the young Nurse visually deflates. Marco walks to the side of my bed and glances down, "Can you walk on your own?" he asks, and I nod, not wanting to displease the strongest crew on the high seas.

"What're the questions?" I croak, not having used my vocal chords for a good few days.

"Oh!" Maria pipes up, "He's not supposed to talk! His throat is raw, and-"

"So he's got a sore throat, big deal," Marco grabs my arm, sending a dull throb through my still-sensitive skin, and yanks me up, before addressing me, "You can take a little pain, can't ya? I mean, you were tearing off your own skin when we found you, so you can suck it up."

With one last-ditch effort, my caretaker grabs the First Commander's arm, "At least put him under some shade when you're talking, ok?"

"I can live with that," Marco turns his head to the door, "Hey, Thatch! Get the kid an umbrella or something! Doctor's orders!" then he turns back to me after the Fourth Commander jogs off, brown eyes flashing dangerously, "Ya ready to meet Pops, newbie?"

A pang of irritation courses through my mind at the pseudo-insult. "I haven't joined your crew, so you can't call me a newbie," my pride overcomes fear and intimidation, and forces me into a retort. _I don't want to be a part of this doomed crew_ , I think to myself as the bold Commander leads me out the door. My legs are shaking from malnutrition, but I power through, not wanting to be seen as weak - my damn pride again. _I don't want to just be another casualty in the War of the Best, so I need to get out of the New World ASAP. Thatch is still alive, and I don't think that Ace has joined yet, so I have some time before things go to hell_.

"So, kid-"

"Don't call me kid."

"-what skills do you have? I can't see why Pops would want to talk with you, you don't have any kind of potential," Marco muses, and I remember his strange affinity for seeing people's hidden power or something like that.

"I…" stalled by the question, and somewhat insulted, I struggle with my answer. In reality, I have absolutely no combat skill other than a few Taekwondo classes I took at age six. _Should I answer truthfully, or lie to look more impressive?_ "Ah… really… *sigh* no, I don't."

" _Hmph_ ," the spiky-haired blonde grunts dismissively, and takes a left down a hall into a storage room, and I follow. The room is massive, with crates stacked in mountainous piles covering every inch, with small pathways between each. A glinting black cylinder catches my eye, and as I glance over, I see a stack of cannonball crates sitting next to a cannon the size of a howitzer pointed out through a porthole.

"That's a big gun," I state dumbly, shocked by its size. _How did these guys lose with guns this size on their ship?_ I begin to think, but then remember the harsh reality that was Navy Admiral Akainu Sakazuki, and I scowl instinctively.

"Stop gawking, get moving," Marco calls back, having passed by the weapon without so much as a second thought. I shiver, despite my burns and the fact that I'm still dressed in nothing more than my swim trunks, but missing my one sandal - Maria took it off my first day here.

"I'm… coming - one sec," I begin to reply, but stop as a reflective surface catches my eye, and I become curious. _Geez, I just realized I haven't seen myself ever since I got here_. "Hey, Mr. Marco, can I check my reflection real quick? I forget what I look like!"

I hear my guide mutter something along the lines of 'goddamn friggin rookie', before grunting, "Fine, but hurry up! Pops doesn't like to wait."

I nod in his direction, slipping down the narrow corridor of boxes towards the mirror, and finally arrive at my detoured destination. I tensed and breathed in sharply at the image in front of me, surprised, to say the least.

I looked like I was sent through hell and back, there was no other way to describe it. My reddish dirty-blonde hair was bleached from prolonged sun exposure, and it stuck out at impossible angles due to the sweat and stench of being stranded without any sort of cleansing supplies. My still-bare chest was gaunt, my ribs and other bones nearly poking through my skin, while _still_ being extremely red. My blue eyes, once vibrant and bright with curiosity, were sunken deep into my skull, and a dead grey color mar the complection. My mouth was only a chapped and discolored line stuck on my face, and the many freckles covering my cheeks and nose were just blending in with my sunburns. Overall, I wasn't out of place as an extra in The Walking Dead. Or Survivor.

"Ahp!" I yip like a dog as a hand lands on my shoulder, eliciting a very small spike of pain from the joint.

"Relax, it's just me," the overconfident pompadour of one Fourth Commander Thatch bobs as he turns me around.

 _How did he get to me without me seeing him in the mirror!?_ I panic, _Is he a vampire?_ "Are you a vampire?" I blurt out, and my ludicrous question is met with an equally jovial chuckle.

" _Heheee_ , no. I'm not a vampire," comes the response, ripe with mirth, and he points up, "I jumped down from those crates. Comingbin out of nowhere is just a thing I do."

"Oh, ok," I blink, somewhat… nervous to see what he does, but stall like a plane when he holds out an umbrella.

"Here ya go, kiddo!" the reason for my disdain isn't the fact that he gave me an umbrella, but the fact that the sun and rain blocker was a traditional Japanese one, decorated with flowers and other less-than-manly designs.

"Uuuum, I don't want to be rude," I gulp, "But is this… style of umbrella the kind everyone uses?"

"* _Pfff*_ Ye- * _pfff*_. Y-yes," the pirate suppresses a too-suspicious laugh, but I shrug it off as some kind of initiation test or something. I take the paper-and-wood accessory, and fold it up into a more compact form.

"Well," I start back towards Marco nervously, "Thanks… Anyways…"

Thatch is now nearly rolling on the ground, each slight bit of mirth making it more difficult to trust him. "No * _pfff_ * problem…"

"Oooookaaaaay," I round the corner, "See ya."

When the First Division Commander sees me, he betrays no form of emotion at the image of me with a flowery umbrella, so I guess I can trust Thatch… For now… "So, are you done with whatever it was you were looking at back there?" the pineapple-headed man starts walking once more.

We walk in a pretty awkward silence, only disturbed by the slap of my bare feet on the wood and the clop of his leather sandals. "Sooo…" I try to strike up a conversation to break it, "What skills do _you_ have, Mr. Marco?" kind of a stupid question, due to the fact that I know what they are already. Manga: useless in the long run until you're sucked into a world you thought would only exist on the page. Funny how life works, isn't it?

My companion glances back, seemingly irked by my question. "First off," he grumbles, " _Don't_ call me 'Mr. Marco', it makes you sound more like a kid than you already are. Second," he turns his head back around, "You don't get to learn what my abilities are until you earn my _respect_. And that, squirt, is something you have to _earn_."

I stare at his back, making as much of a 'are you serious' face as I possibly can. _First off, he was never this much of an asshole in the story. Second, he is way too serious for a world like this_ , I think to myself as we wind through the maze of boxes, _And wasn't he much more… I dunno,_ humorous _to Ace_ _?_ I go over what little we know about Marco from Oda, from his powers to his personality. _He was definitely much more humorous, because I remember him making the comment about taking the king too early or something in the War… Or was that just him being badass… dammit! I can't get a read on him!_

"We're here," the strong baritone snaps me out of my thoughts, and I see a massive wooden staircase leading up to the deck, sunlight seeping through the opening above, "Head up those stairs and you should find yourself on deck."

"Alright," I begin to move, but the blonde holds me back.

" _Behave_ ," that one word sent shivers down my spine, and I nod timidly, not wanting to face the wrath of one of the strongest Whitebeards, second only to the captain himself, "Good," said powerhouse breathes in and out in approval, "Now get going."

I trudge my way up the stairs, each step making me feel more and more like I was walking the green mile. As I came closer, I could hear the sounds of a party going on above, and a lively one at that. Drunken singing, terrible jokes, and at least two or three brawls finished the impression that this place was _not_ 'family appropriate'. _But then again…_ I think as my short - and quite taxing - venture comes to an end, _Pi~rate_. Then, I stick my body up into the sun, unfolding my umbrella as I go. I am met with a series of cheers.

"Hey, it's the guest of honor!" "Hey, kid, what's that you got there?" "Welcome to the party!" "Is that a flower umbrella!?" That last statement caught everyone's attention, and I felt a small army of eyes turn to me.

"Uuuh…" I start timidly, the umbrella held above me, shading my body from the hell that is heat and light on a sunburn, "... Hi?"

The reaction was _quite_ delayed, because it took the crew an _entire_ minute to react, but once they did, I felt extremely stupid.

" _BWAAAAHAHAHAHA!_ " " _KEKEKEKEKE!_ " " _FYUFYUFYUFYU!_ " " _GURARARARA!_ " the cacophony of laughter enveloped me, and my already heated face became even _hotter_ , rising right back to lobster-red.

A hand clamps down on my shoulder, causing me to wince in pain, and a buzzed voice drawls. "Kiddo, ye jus' got prank'd by _Thatch_!"

"Now, now, Johnny, don't crowd the young man," the familiar sophisticated speech of Flower Sword Vista sounds _somewhere_ behind me, "We don't want to give him the impression that we are immature," the first man is pulled off of me, and gloved digits replace him, "My name is 'Flower Sword' Vista, Fifth Division Commander. What's your name, young man?" I glance up, and a grin set below a thin - but very curly - mustache, confirming that yes, a swordsman capable of going toe-to-toe with Dracule 'Hawkeye' Mihawk is currently placing a hand on my shoulder. A younger version, yes, but a flower by any other color is still Vista.

"Oh!" I respond, "My name? Yeah! It's-"

"Wait! My apologies, lad, but that honor must be held for Father. You see, my gentlemanly ways took hold, and I could not resist introducing myself," he takes off his top hat and bows as low as possible, which, considering his disproportionate upper body, is kind of disturbing, "So very sorry."

"Uh-" I balk, surprised, "Why are you apologizing for being polite?"

The massive swordsman straightens before answering, with a small group gathering around us. "Because, lad, I must leave your true name for Father!" he strikes a pose, going for the Shakespearean approach, "A lost soul being rescued from the sea, whose name is unknown even to the greatest man alive! Surely it is like the great poems that we must allow your name to be hidden until learned by our leader!"

"My name's Ian Kelly, nice to meet ya!" I stick out a hand for him to shake, and the encircling Whitebeards faceplant. Vista looks straight-up _horrified_ , his romanticised vision broken, and I feel slight shame. _Slight_ shame.

True to his gentleman image, the famous swordsman recovers and takes my hand vigorously, crushing it, and I try not to cringe. "Despite the fact that Father should have been the first, I am honored by this show of great faith, young Kelly!" he shakes my limb enthusiastically, flailing me up and down. He then turns around, clearing his throat, and calls out, "Father! The young man we picked up earlier is here!"

"I could hear his arrival, Vista!" the booming voice of Edward Newgate echoes once more in my soul, "Bring the brat here."

I'm pushed towards the back of the deck, where I knew a massive throne with the infamous strongest man alive seated on it stood. I take in the ship itself, which has a large wooden cabin placed on top, no doubt where Newgate and the Commanders slept. Massive masts caught the wind at proper angles, and two smaller versions were attached to the sides and back. The symbol of the greatest crew waved defiantly over the _Moby Dick_ , the white emblem snapping in the breeze. But soon, I was there. I was stationed in front of that throne, and by _god_ was Whitebeard one tough-looking old man.

Describing Whitebeard, you ask? Where to start? The man himself was gargantuan, even for some half-giants shown by Oda. He easily stood at over twenty feet, given how my head only reached his knees. The massive white moustache that he was famous for was easily the size of my wingspan, and his chin made him look like that superhero from _Fairly Odd Parents_. One titan of a tricorn admiral's hat adorned his head, as well as a white and red admiral's coat. He wore nothing underneath it, showing the scars and damages of previous battles lost to time. The glaive he used in the War of the Best was still there, towering over the entire crew, and its massive blade glinted in the sun. A simple blue sash held his white pants in place, and his brown eyes shown a heavy paternal caring, but what got me was his presence.

It took everything I had in order to _not_ immediately faint due to the pushing on my skull from all sides. I mean, I doubt the man wasn't even _using_ his conqueror's haki, and I was on the verge of collapse. I think I'll peg that on my currently weaker constitution. The pressure he let out was crazy. It was the kind of feeling that told you 'you don't wanna screw with him', and I _definitely_ didn't.

"So, kiddo," the monster seated before me lets out a rumble, shaking me to my core, "What's your name?" I don't respond, too cowed with fear to form a sensible answer.

After some time of my silence, Vista hurries over to the massive Captain and bows. "I apologize, Father, but I already learned his name. I can tell you-"

"My son!" Whitebeard interrupts him, and the tense mood increases tenfold, "What have I told you about apologizing for learning names! I don't care if you learn them before me, just that the new arrivals feel welcome."

"Yes, Father. Sorry, Father."

"And stop apologizing! Youre my son! You don't need to," the white-mustachioed man turns back to me, and leans forward, "Let's let him answer on his own."

Noticing that the pressure that the older man was releasing had stopped, I was finally able to respond to the original question. "Ah, my name is… Ian Kelly…"

Newgate nods in approval. "Well, Kelly, you certainly are an interesting individual," his look becomes thoughtful, "You traveled across the grand line at such a young age, and haven't fallen to the merciless seas. That alone is impressive."

"Ah, well, I…" I gulp, trying to find the words, "I didn't actually travel through the Grand Line."

"Hm," Whitebeard grunts, "Well, were you born in the New World?"

"N-no," I admit, because the man could probably read my mind, "I just… I dunno, got trapped here?"

"In what way were you trapped?"

"I…" I can't answer, considering how I don't _actually_ know, and I rack my brain for an answer. _C'mon, Ian,_ think _! What explanation would they believe that is more bullshit than the New World?_ Then, the image of swirling colors enter my mind, and an answer snaps to my tongue, "I got sucked into the Rainbow Mist," I blurt out, and a slight murmur sounds from the rest of the crew.

Whitebeard, however, looks thoughtful once more. "The Rainbow Mist, eh? I have some experience with that, so I _suppose_ you could have been transported here from one of the Blues…" his hand rubs the grip of his glaive, "In that case, which one are you from? The boat we found you in was made of Western Red Cedar, so it's safe to say you're from the West blue, correct?"

At the mention of the _Nicholas II_ , my heart jumps, and I take a few steps forward, eliciting a few surprised gasps from the surrounding crew. "Yeah, I'm from the West Blue, but my boat, you have it?"

"Yes, it's safe, I assure you that," the gargantuan captain grins, showing perfectly - you guessed it - white teeth. I think he has a thing going here.

"Thank _god_ ," I breathe a sigh of relief, and Whitebeard cocks his head.

"Hey, brat, what does that boat mean to you, if I might ask?" he questions me.

"It…" I think over my answer, wondering whether I should tell him about my grandpa, "It was my grandpa's. He gave it to me before he died."

The strongest nods in understanding. "Well then, kiddo, I'd suppose it's time for the _real_ question," with that, he and those around me grin cockily, in the way that only a Whitebeard could, and Edward Newgate extends a hand, and massive though he is, despite all of the power he was shown to have, it felt like a hand of kinship, like family.

Like grandpa.

And with that grin, he asked me the one million berry question, with all the charisma of one Monkey D. Luffy, of Gol D. Roger.

"Would you like to become my son?"

So with all that caring, fatherly charisma, how the hell could I say no?

=(I)=

 _Okay, looking back, tossing aside the umbrella to party was a bad idea_ , I think to myself as - for the second time that day - I sat in a medical bed. After I had _absolutely_ accepted the gesture of kinship from Whitebe- Pops. Not Whitebeard, Pops. I'm one of his… sons now. Anyways, after I accepted _Pops'_ offer to join the crew, I had decided to party hard. In the sun. Without an umbrella. While I still had minor burns all over my torso. Not my smartest idea.

"I can't believe that someone would just _do_ that! Of all the patients I've had, you are by _far_ the least sensible, and I've had to deal with Thatch's shenanigans ever since I joined the crew's medical staff!" Maria, the nurse from earlier, was raging at my decision, having had to take my unconcious form from the deck all the way back to the medical bay in order to give me painkillers and treat my slightly worse burns, "So now you're probably going to lose even _more_ skin, and-"

" _Maria_ ," Marco stares at her from the corner, which snaps her out of her crazed antics.

The nurse in particular breathes sharply, but then sighs. "Kelly, you're free to go."

"Yeah!" I slide off the bed and start towards the door, ready to get back to partying, but my caretaker grabs my ear, stopping me in my tracks.

" _But_ ," her expression is apoplectic, "If you come back again in the next week, I swear that I will _castrate_ you," she gestures to the tools laid out on a metal sheet, "And trust me, _I have the tools for it_."

"Y-yes ma'am," I squeak nervously, and she lets me go. I inch towards the door, and am about to finally leave the room, but feel a pair of dagger-like gazes digging into my back.

" _You have been warned_ ," and with that final voicing from the devil, I get the hell outta dodge…

...aaaand promptly run smack-dab into a massive figure. More specifically, their _gut_. "Oh, I'm sorry, man," I start, hastily backing off, "I just… I was in a hurry… and… I…" I trail off as my mind starts to go crazy, alarms going off in every corner. _Of course he would be on the crew, you damn fool_ , I berate myself, while simultaneously backing away from the man who will come to be the most despicable thing this side of the grand line. I had ran into one Marshall D. Teach, or, if you don't know him by that name…

Blackbeard.

"Hey, it's the new kid!" the lard-bucket of a man laughs and leans towards me, and a few key differences catch my eye. First off, he's missing the tricorn hat and coat he dons as the Captain of the Blackbeard Pirates, instead wearing the pre-killing-Thatch white shirt, but other than that, he was the same. Despicable, sleazy, crafty, and… and… warm.

He had a strange warmth, and not one that was all moldy and full of stench, but one of comradery, trust. It was the kind that Whitebeard let off, the kind that makes you want to trust the person with your entire being, and because of this, I would have trusted him. If I didn't know that he was a terrible human being capable of great destruction, I would have trusted him, and that thought sends chills down my spine.

" _Zeeehahaha_!" he laughs, a hearty sound, and every second, I have to remember the image of Ace bleeding out in Luffy's arms in order to keep myself estranged, "You don't need to be scared, kid! I know I look like a big bad pirate, but I'm not gonna hurt ya! _Zeeehahaha_!" Teach extends a hand to me, his gapped teeth grinning with all they had.

"Ah… no… no thank you," I hastily shake my head 'no', and the man frowns, something flickering across his face. Was that… disappointment?

"Ah, c'mon, little brother!" he enthusiastically reaches further, "Despite my missing teeth, I don't bite! _Zehaha_!" he laughs as if his self-insult was the best joke in the world, and I decide to swallow my fear.

I nervously take the outstretched hand of the man who will be known to the world as 'Blackbeard', and am greeted by a grin from the man himself, and when asking his name, I feign ignorance, "Hi, mister, uh…"

"Teach, little bro," comes the answer, "Marshall D. Teach. What's your name, squirt?"

"Ian," I gulp, and a flicker of suspicion crosses his eye, yet disappears just as fast, "Ian Kelly."

"That's a… _strange_ way of introducing yourself, little Kelly," despite my moderate height of six foot three, I was still dwarfed by his massive figure, and a bit cowed. All enthusiasm was sent right out the door, "But as for you, your handshake is a bit weak! You need some training! Either that or a Devil Fruit! _Zehaha_!" that laugh sounds again, and it takes all I have to _not_ attack him.

"Well, I'm hoping that I'll be able to train up sometime soon…" I start to back up a bit, and _he_ notices.

"Why are you backing up, kid?" Teach starts to become a bit more creepy, and he advances, "I could train you to use Haki, or help ya find a Devil Fruit to toughen you up…"

"No, no, I'm fine…" I'm full on scrambling now, and he's pursuing now, a shadow of what he will become. I start to turn, but the entire place becomes _still_ as he grabs my arm.

"Please," he rumbles, "I _insist_ -"

"Teach!" the voice of Marco echoes through the hall, and the black-bearded man instantly releases my arm.

 _Ohthankgod_ , I gulp for at least the fifth time, and by now, my throat is so dry it hurts. Saved by the Phoenix.

"What d'ya want, Marco?" my assailant turns to my savior, "I was just talking with our new recruit."

"Teach," Marco stares him down, "Your brand of crazy isn't for kids, so stay out of his hair until he's used to us, ok?"

"Sure, you and Pops are the bosses," the bastard stalks away, and my heart is pounding in panic.

"Don't worry about Teach, he won't disturb you," Marco reassures me once Blackbeard is gone, "At least, now that I told him to screw off, he won't disturb you," the Phoenix Man brushes past me and walks away, but I stop him.

"Ah, thanks for that," I mutter, "The save, I mean."

"You don't need to apologize, kid," Marco doesn't even look back, "Oh, and Pops wants you in his quarters, he probably wants to assign you to a Division."

"Alright!" I call after him, and he turns a corner, disappearing from view, "Thanks… anyways," I turn, and look around for a way out of this maze-like ship. _Crap, which way were the stairs?_

 **Hey, if you were wondering about the Nurse, Maria, I gave the nurse a name because I'm pretty sure that Oda never named them. *Explanation* See ya next week!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"My son, I sent Marco to tell you to get here two hours ago," Edward Newgate rumbles as I stand in his room, a bit ruffled, but otherwise okay, "Why are you here now?"

"I, ah," I rub the back of my neck, a bit embarrassed on getting lost, "This place is a bit confusing…"

" _Gurarara_ , that it is," Whitebeard grins that nearly-a-D grin, "Do you know why I sent for you?" he suddenly asks, and I shake my head 'no', "I sent for you so that I could place you in one of my Divisions."

I feign ignorance once more, so as to protect myself. "Division? What do you mean?"

'Pops' hums for a second, possibly wondering on how to respond. "Think of it like this, brat. I'm the head of this ship, and I'm also the head of a great fleet. On this ship, there are hundreds of my sons and daughters, so I have to have a way to manage all of them. As a remedy, I take a few trusted members of my crew and give them a fraction of the larger force," he points at me, "Do you understand so far?"

"Yeah, I think so," I cock my head, "You need a higher grasp of control, so you split the crew into smaller groups. Can I assume that those groups are also split into sub-divisions?"

"You catch on quick," Whitebeard grins once more. Now that I think about it, he rarely _ever_ stops grinning in the manga or anime. It's actually kind of disturbing, "What do you do?"

"What do you mean by that?" I ask, and I have the feeling that someone would be laughing if they passed by.

Pops' eye twitches, and I decide it would be best _not_ to do anything stupid. "What I mean by that, _brat_ , is what skills do you have? Are you a strategic mind, good with a specific weapon…?"

"Ah, I like to think of myself as a bit of a sharpshooter…" I reply nervously, not eager to poke the hornet's nest. The sharpshooter thing is true, my grandpa had an old Winchester that I practiced with, so I had gotten pretty good. The strategy thing was close, but not as close, seeing how I had only played chess and stratego so far in my life, and I'm pretty sure that Grand Line combat is just based on applied bullshit.

"Hm, a sniper, eh?" he taps his massive chin, "Well, in that case, I'll have to ask Marco on who wants you," he picks up a transponder snail that was sitting on the table next to his seat, and yells, "Marco, get up here and help me decide where to put our new family member!"

Not two seconds later, the door opens, and Marco strides in. "Already here, Pops."

Whitebeard relaxes, sinking back into his seat. "This brat here says he's good with a gun, who should we put him with?"

"I would normally say to put him with Curiel, but he's got enough gun wielders already," Marco muses, "Izo and Jiru have been getting more of our new recruits, whereas Kingdew, Blamenco, and Atmos are on a campaign against Kaido's men, so that's no place for a child."

"I'm right here!" I rage, but the pineapple ignores me and continues.

"Most of us have already been topped off, the only ones left are Vista, Jozu, Thatch, and myself," Marco taps his foot irritated, "I know for a _fact_ that Jozu has a tendency to tenderize his recruits during day one, and Vista prefers swordsmen in his group."

"Hrm, so that leaves you and Thatch," Whitebeard closes his eyes in thought, "Would you take him, Marco?"

"No," the Phoenix-man snaps his head to look at Newgate almost instantly, simultaneously crushing my wavering self-esteem.

"Don't I get a say in this?" I pipe up, feeling _way_ too pressured.

Marco sighs. "Kid, even if you chose a group, it comes down to your commander choosing to take you in, not your own decision."

"So, does that mean… I'm with Thatch?" I ask him, kind of nervous.

"Yeah," the First Division Commander pats my shoulder, "You're stuck with the single worst pranker on the ship. I feel bad for yo-"

"Marco," Pops interrupts.

"Eh? What's up?"

Whitebeard gestures the Phoenix over, and sticks up two fingers.

Marco's expression changes from confused to even moreso. " _That_ Division, Pops? But there's no Commander for that Division!" he sees Newgate's dead serious expression, and the First Commander's eyes widen, "Oh, no, you are _not_ training this kid to be the Commander of the _Second Division_! Only _one_ _person_ has ever led them, and this," he jabs a finger at me, quickly becoming angered at _something_ , "This _child_ is _NEVER_ going to replace him!"

"MARCO!" the strongest man in the world bellows, standing up from where he sat. The pressure in the room skyrockets, and I almost faint from the Emperor's slipping control on his Haki. The two authorities on the ship stare each other down, powerhouses exerting their dominance.

"He still might come back," Marco crosses his arms.

"Hrmph," Whitebeard grunts, "Have it your way, _brat_ ," seconds later, the Phoenix storms out, a scowl marring his face.

"Ah, if I may ask…" I squeak after some time, "What was that about? Sorry if I'm intruding too much, or-"

"No, no, it's fine," Pops waves me off, "He's just living in denial that a good friend of ours left us to take care of his family," the giant lowers his head, and his eyes are blocked from my view. Then, he smiles, and his eyes are back, filled with fire and fatherly support, "My son, if there's one thing that I've learned over my sixty-five years of life-"

 _So_ that's _how old he is right now_ , I mentally note that so I can figure out when I am in the timeline.

"-it's that you never allow any loss of a friend get you down! Keep plowing through life's obstacles with every advantage you can get your hands on! _Gurarara!_ " he turns his head to the door, "Thatch!" he barks, authority nearly forcing _me_ to freeze, "Get in here, now! And I know that you, Vista, and Jozu have been listening at the door for the past five minutes, I can hear you whispering!"

The instant Whitebeard finished his statement, I hear the gentlemanly baritone of Vista - "I told you two we should _not_ have been talking!" - the rumbling bass of Jozu - "If I _remember_ , Vista, it was _you_ who started!" - and, of course, Thatch's own tenor-baritone mixture sounds - "Guyswaityou'regonnamakethedoor _breeeak!_ " - at the same exact time that the three Commanders break down the door, spilling out onto the wooden deck.

"Well, brothers, that could have indefinitely been more successful…" Vista rubs his head and stands up, dusting his vest suit off, "What do you believe?"

"I dunno, this floor is kinda soft," Jozu hums contently, "I could get used to this."

" _GET OFF ME YOU FAT BASTARD!_ " Thatch screams, stuck under Jozu's at _least_ three-hundred pound body. Vista hurries over and helps his fellow swordsman push the diamond-man off, "Geez, would it kill ya to lose a few pounds?"

"Are you calling me fat, Thatch?" Jozu towers over the pompadoured Commander, his fists turning a reflective silver-blue. Thatch's demeanor changes immediately.

"You're pleasantly plump and you don't need to lose _any_ weight just _please dear god not the diamond no-o-gie!_ " the man from the '80s screams like - and I kid you not - a little baby.

"Thank you," Jozu nods in satisfaction before leaving, while Vista follows.

" _Dick_ ," Thatch hisses, then turns to the rest of us, "So, what did ya want with me, Pops?"

"Thatch, my son," Whitebeard sighs, "I trust that you always make a good impression on our new family members, correct?"

Thatch blinks, then cocks his head. "Yeah… why? Do we have another new kid?" he turns to me, a crazy grin on his face, "Or am I going to show Kelly here around the ship? Or…"

 _Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to regret joining the moment he accepts?_ I gulp as the Fourth Division Commander suddenly closes the distance in less than a second.

"...Is this kid going to join the Fourth Division?"

"Wow," Marco looks somewhat impressed, "I'm still surprised about how you have some sixth sense for this stuff."

"Ah!" pompadour shakes his head, "It's technically a _seventh_ sense. You're forgetting Observation Haki."

Marco blinks. "Huh, so I am."

"Anyways, Pops? Is he gonna join my Division?" Thatch's grin widens to impossible proportion, nullifying any hopes that I have of soft mercy.

"Yes, my son, he is," the Strongest Man in the World nods, "That is, if you need a marksman."

Thatch closes his eyes. " _I'll take 'im!_ " the Commander exclaims, waving a fistfull of Beri in the air.

" _I'm not a store bought product, dammit!_ " I rage, the childish Thatch's antics irking me a bit too far. I punch the man on the shoulder, but… my hand feels like I just punched a brick wall. I take in a quick breath to calm down my throbbing digits, and act like a reasonable, calm, steady-minded individual- fuck it, I acted like how you _think_ I would, " _FuckindickbagshitfuckgoddammitfucksonofabitchFUUUUUUCK!_ " I pounce on the bastard, fueled by adrenaline, and try to scratch his goddamn eyes out.

"Y'know, as humorous as that little outburst was," Marco drags me off my new Commander and lifts me up above his head, "You should show Thatch some respect. He _is_ , after all, your Division Commander now, so you don't want him to make you run mopping duty for a month."

"Ooooh, that's a _great_ idea/ _Don't give him suggestions!_ "

"Hm," Pops grunts, "In any case, Thatch, you should go arm your new brother, he needs a weapon and practice if you plan on doing anything against Kaido or Big Mom anytime soon."

 _Kaido and Big Mom!?_ I gulp, still held up by Marco, _You mean, I might have to go up against_ them _!?_

"Yo, kiddo," the Phoenix glances up at me, "You scared of those two?"

"Wha- n-no, I am _not_ scared!" I retort, lying through my teeth.

"Hm, sure you aren't," the lazy-looking First Commander dumps me on the deck, to which I squawk indignantly, "Anyhow, you're stuck with Thatch now, so have fun!" Marco waves as he strides out the door.

"Wait, no!" I reach after him in a futile attempt for help, "Don't leave me! I don't wanna die!"

" _Relax_ , Kelly!" I tense as the Fourth Division Commander drapes his arm over my shoulder, "I don't bite, I only prank. A lot. Like, _all_ the time," Thatch claps his hands together as I stare at the wall in frozen horror, "Well, then, 'Mr. Sniper', I say we go get you a weapon. You game?" He stares at my frozen body, "I'll just take that as a yes, then."

"But I don't wanna go downstairs, mom…" I groan childishly as he drags me out of the cabin, "I'll get pranked by Nate again…"

Edward Newgate smiles as he watches the two boys go. _Take care of him, Thatch_ , the Strongest grins, _He's young, but you make sure he grows to be strong_.

=()=

 _You can do this_ , I breathe as I stare down the iron deformities that make up a rifle sight, _It's just like grandpa told you, don't be tense, let yourself relax_ , I tighten my grip on the trigger.

"You gonna take the shot or not?" a gruff voice huffs behind me, and I jump, thankfully _not_ pulling the trigger on the weapon I was grasping with white hands, "You've been standing there aiming for five seconds."

"Stop it with these unrealistic aiming times, man," my new Commander pushes the shoulder of the ship's firearm expert, "And besides, I bet that that gun is a lot different from any you've used, right, Kelly?"

"Y-yeah," In reality, it was an old winchester, like the ones cowboys use. We hunted _elk_ with that thing, "The make and model of the gun are quite a bit different than what I'm used to…"

"Fine, take the shot, then," Curiel waves us off, "Just don't miss, I don't want our ammo to go to waste."

 _Alright_ , I line back up the shot, _You can do this, Ian, just believe in yourself_ , I squeeze the trigger, and the weapon bucks against my shoulder. I stumble back due to the recoil, which is _insane_ , and recover. "How did I do? How did I do?" I hurry over to Thatch, who is staring at the rock I was aiming at, "Did I hit it?"

"No, you didn't hit the target," the Fourth Division Commander facepalms, "But you just hit that seagull that was flying _ten feet above it!_ " he points out to sea, and I catch a glimpse of white, "What the _hell_ were you aiming at!" he wasn't angry, just… disappointed.

" _Uuugh_ ," I sigh, and glance at the rock, on which there are no blemishes from high-speed lead projectiles. Only barnacles.

"What do you have to say about it?" Thatch bends down, acting like a news anchor, "Are you shocked, awed? Depressed that you have no skill with ranged weaponry?"

"Up yours," I groan, slumped on the deck in depression.

"There ya have it folks! I just-" I cut off the obnoxious pompadour, and curl up into a ball.

 _I don't wanna be like Leonard Church!_


	5. Chapter 5: Introductions

Chapter 5

 **AN: Hey everyone! I made this chapter longer to make up for the lack-luster last chapter! That wasn't my best performance. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 5

" _Disco Fever!_ " I hastily dive out of the way as a rainbow-colored beam of light reflects off of a blade and towards my face, burning a hole in the wood behind me.

" _Why are you trying to kill me!?_ " I scream at the grinning swordsman standing on the opposite side of the training circle.

"Aw, come on, kid!" one Fourth Commander Thatch of the Whitebeard Pirates twirls the previously mentioned blade in his hand, the edge nearly cutting him multiple times, "This is training your reaction time, isn't it?"

I leap aside once more as a stray ray of sunlight reflects off the blade, another burning seizure-beam blinking next to my left arm. "How is this supposed to help reaction speed!? I have to predict where it's going to hit!"

"Exactly!" the pompadour beams, "We're training your foresight!"

" _I thought we were training reaction time!_ " I yell at the prankster.

"And here's another lesson!" the swordsman taps the flat of his blade, "The battlefield changes all the time, and you must adapt to it!"

" _THAT'S BULLSHIT AND YOU KNOW IT_!"

"Hey, boss?" one of the random crewmates calls from a few feet away, "When are you gonna be done with the new kid? The rest of us want to train too, ya know!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be done in a sec!" the Commander replies, then turns back to me, "Ignoring _those_ guys, there's one thing we haven't tested out yet: your swordsmanship."

I glance over in confusion. "But I already told Whitebeard - I can't use a sword."

Thatch sighs. "Kid, if there's one thing that I've learned, it's that anyone can do anything, as long as they put their mind to it," he snorts, "Well, that and the fact that prodigies can come from anywhere, no matter their strength. Hey, we might find that you're pretty skilled, yeah?"

I stare at the swordsman with shock. _He's… he's clueless, of course,_ I remember the fact that he doesn't actually know much about me, _He is going to be sooo much more disappointed after this,_ let me explain why I have absolutely _no_ hope for being a swordsman in this crazy world. You see, a few years ago I was looking for something to do, like a hobby. In my search, I attempted fencing. I'm not going far into it, but let's just say that did _more_ than my fair share of property damage in what was called 'The Pipe Incident'. _So many teeth… and lawsuits. Thank god for gramps being there._

"Kelly, catch!" I'm snapped out of my thoughts by an object striking my face.

I blink, waving my arms frantically. "Gah-!" I catch a glimpse of Thatch laughing behind his hands, "What the-? What the _hell_ , man!? I was just… stan… oh, no," I sputter indignantly, glaring bloody murder, but slowly come to a stop as I take in what hit me.

"Pick that up and come at me," the Fourth Commander waves me on like the _Matrix_. What he told me to pick up was a rod. A simple, _bamboo_ rod, like the ones used for training swordsmanship. Only one word could sum this up.

 _Fuck._

The pompadour'd Commander simply smirks at my pale expression, his eyes flashing with mischief. "What's wrong, rookie? Scared that you're gonna be useless? I mean, you already are…" my eye twitches at that last comment, "You can't aim, you can't throw a punch, you can't run or dodge, so what good are you except cannon fodder?" my teeth groan as they grind against each other, "So, where am I going to put you… oh! I know! I think I'll put you in-"

" _RRRRAGH!_ " I scream as I snatch up the bamboo rod and charge, frantically lashing it out at the cocky bastard.

"Oh, hit a nerve, did I?" Thatch grins as he sidesteps a downward swing, "Maybe I'll put you on mop duty-"

" **I WILL GUT YOU LIKE A GODDAMN** _**FISH**_ **!** " I roar, red clouding my vision, and the wood-like stick starts to blur, but Thatch still _easily_ avoids each and every swipe, " **RIGHT AFTER I DO THE SAME TO MARCO FOR GIVING YOU THE FUCKING SUGGESTION!** "

"You'll do what to me?" a cool voice sounds out, and I immediately freeze, all my previous steam venting out of my ears in a vaporous stream.

" _Meep_ ," I squeak in fear, but my opponent in front of me just smiles, almost as if… he's… expect… ing… "Oh, up yours, _Commander_ ," I scowl at the manipulative bastard.

" _Hehe_ , ya like my voice throwing trick? I think that I do a _pretty_ good Marco if I do say so myself," Thatch chuckles, his eyes full of mirth at his ploy, "Anyways, that was a pretty decent surge you got going there. You cracked the floor, so you aren't half bad… with a club…" and indeed, there were three damaged floorboards where I had slammed the bamboo, and one was completely split, while the other two just had really large cracks in them. Honestly, it was kind of impressive.

" _I did that!?_ " I stare in shock, and Thatch pats me on the shoulder.

"Well, I think we found your strength, kid," he starts walking, and gestures for me to follow, "Temper tantrums."

"I'm not that childish…" I huff.

My Commander turns and grabs my shoulder, halting us both. "Oh, please, that made you look like a five-year-old," he starts walking again, albeit slower this time, "Don't you have any anger management skills?"

"I _do_ have anger management skills," I spit back, "But I get angry when someone does something rude, like someone attacking one of my friends or, well, someone just being a _straight-up_ _ **dick**_ ," I make a point to glower at his back.

"It was a _test!_ " the carefree conniver stops, legs and arms rigid, " _Let it go, jeez!_ "

I immediately ram my head into his, and we push back and forth. "I'll _stop_ when you get tired of _pranking me!_ "

He immediately pulls back and holds out a hand. "So we agree to disagree."

"Yes," I take the outstretched digit and we shake, sealing our deal, "So, Thatch, why are you here, like, in person?"

"Well, to be honest, what I'm doing for you right now is what _all_ new recruits get," the Commander places his arms behind his head, and notices my confused expression, "What I mean is that everyone is given one week of 'special treatment' from me and everyone else: The best weapons, first dibs on food, and a single room all to themselves."

"Wait, so this _isn't_ how everyone is treated all the time?" _Geez, the story made it_ sound _like everyone was equal_ , I furrow my brow.

"Well, it's all based on your rank, really, and how famous you are…" Thatch sees my confusion, and rubs the back of his head, "Oh yeah! You don't know about our little Division Hierarchy! Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed, because, if you know about assuming-"

"It makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me', I know that one," my nostrils flare as I try to connect the dots. _He said '_ Lieutenant' _, so does that mean there's more to this than Division Commanders? One question answered, two more pop up,_ I groan, _God, I hate the lack of prior knowledge. Then again, we knew almost nothing about Thatch-_

"Hey, kid, you okay?" my thoughts are once more interrupted by Mr. Disco, "You were spacing out there."

"Yeah, yeah," I wave him off, "I'm fine. But tell me more about that 'Division Hierarchy' thing, it sounds interesting."

Thatch grins. "Ah, yes, the Division Hierarchy. An excellent way to start your education! You see, the way it works is this: we have a head honcho that controls everyone, which is Pops, right?" I nod, and he continues, "Well, after Pops, the control is split between sixteen Division Commanders, who each have control over groups of one hundred subordinates. Marco, Vista, Jozu, Curiel and I are each Division Commanders, and are the strongest members of the crew besides Pops. You understand so far?" he asks me.

"Yeah, so it's just a Pyramid of Control?"

"Precisely!" the pompadour grins, "Anyways, in each of the one hundred man Divisions, there are four groups of twenty-five men, which are called Companies. Each Company _also_ has its own commanding officer, which we call Lieutenants," he ad-libs, "However, the Lieutenants can't take charge of all the men at once, so they each have a lesser officer called-"

"Lemme guess," I interrupt him, "A _Junior_ Lieutenant?"

"No, we call them 'Fresh Meat'," his grin is more sinister now, and with that, my heart starts to pound in panic.

 _OhgodI'mgonnadi-i-ie!_ A stream of tears makes its way down my cheek, my fear becoming reality. Fortunately, I'm snapped out of it when an open palm slaps the back of my head.

"Come on, kiddo!" Thatch stares me straight in my eyes, concern behind his own brown ones, his mouth now in a serious line, "I mean, you _were_ wrong, we call them Sergeants, but the 'Fresh Meat' comment? It was a _joke_! Just like most things, so don't actually believe me!" he grins again, which is a much more welcome sight, "That's what most of the crew's done, because I speak a lot of shit, yeah?"

" _Heh_ , yeah," I wipe what tears remain, and try to lighten the mood with my own joke, "I don't know what it is, but I'm probably going to be the most gullible person on this crew. I trust people too much, probably have to change that."

My Commander sighs, his smile becoming more wistful than humorous. "Kelly, you're wrong if you think that you should change, even if you trust someone too easily."

"Why's that?" I question, "Isn't too much trust a liability?"

"No, rookie, it isn't," he pats me on the shoulder like a good brother would, "You see, in my time on the line, I've run into far too many people that have lost the ability to trust others, who have let themselves become hardened, shells of their former selves," he ruffles my hair, "So I want you to make me a promise, Kelly. I want you to promise that you will _never_ stop trusting others, no matter their background or past, where they are from, or how they act, okay? Even if someone does something so heinous that everyone else gives up, I want you to trust that person, because if they try to hurt you I'll stop them first," he stands to his full height, which is a few inches taller than me, taller even with the pompadour, "Can you do that?"

I think about it. _Can I?_ I ask myself, _Is it even possible?_ Then, my grandfather's last words to me ring.

 _Ian, if you teach others that they can trust in you, then that's just one less problem in the world._

I breathe in, then out, then in, and out again. When I look up, I grin with as much truth behind my eyes as I can muster. "Hell yeah I can."

"Perfect," Thatch nods in approval, "Now, do you have any more questions? I just want to clear up anything that you're confused about."

 _Speaking of grandpa…_ "Yeah, could I possibly see my boat?" I speak up, and the Commander's expression changes from cocky-ish knowledge to actual surprise.

"I completely forgot about that," Thatch grabs my arm and steers us into another hallway, "Thanks for reminding me!"

"Ah," I tap his shoulder, "Will I be allowed to keep it, or…?"

I'm waved off. "Of course! We're not going to _take_ it. You're allowed to keep it in our storage for use at any time, along with any other personal items you had aboard-"

" _Purupurupurupuru_ ," a noise, specifically one of a transponder snail, sounds from somewhere in the pompadour's coat, and he pulls it out.

"Y~ello, Thatch here!" he answers, "What's shakin!"

" _Ugh, I always hate that attitude_ ," The snail adopts an extremely serious face. " _Curiel here_ -" - that explains it - " _We were examining your new subordinate's boat, and we found some kind of rifle in a hidden compartment, along with several hundred rounds of ammunition. You mind bringing him down here to pick it up?_ "

"Actually," Thatch replies, "We were just headed down there now."

" _Great… Curiel out_ ," the snail goes silent.

"Hey, Kelly," my Commander nudges me, "Is it just me, or does that guy seem like he perpetually has a stick up his ass?" we sit there for a few seconds, our smiles growing as the quip sinks in.

" _Kahahahaha!/Hehehehehe!_ " and with that, we make our way to the storage area, laughing our asses off.

=()=

"So, what exactly _is_ this?" Curiel scratches his small goatee in curiosity, "I've never seen anything like it before."

I grin as I take in the firearm before me. The lever-action rifle glints in the sun as the brass-steel chamber reflects the light. The wooden stock and the iron barrel of the weapon weigh heavy in my hand as I heft it. The Winchester design that was manufactured by the Russian Empire is the weapon that my grandpa was given by my grandma at their wedding, and he had kept it in amazing shape, just like his boat. The Russian Model 1895. "Grandpa, I never thought this day would come when I get your rifle, but today is that day," I whisper, remembering the times I had practiced firing with this weapon.

Now, in my family, this weapon is _legendary_. And by legendary, I mean _LEGENDARY_. The upfront history of the firearm was simple: it served in two world wars and was given to my grandfather, but it's the stuff in between the world wars that's interesting. You see, my great grandfather and great grandmother on my grandma's side were from Russia, and my great grandfather fought in the Russian Civil War for the Red Army. After the Bolshevik revolution in 1917, he was conscripted at age 16, and stayed that way until he met my great grandmother at age 30. Two years later my grandmother was born. Soon after, WWII began.

My great grandfather was part of a tank brigade, and fought in the battle of Kursk, in a KV-2. During that time, he captured three German Panzers with one Molotov cocktail and his trusty Russian Model 1895, and he eventually took part in the Siege of Berlin in 1945 using an IS-2 after the KV line had become obsolete. When the war ended, he was at the rank of Lieutenant in the Soviet military, and my grandmother grew up in relatively decent conditions for the Soviet Union.

Unfortunately, that stability didn't last, as my great grandfather was accused of treason in Stalin's iron grasp, and my family fled across the European 'Iron Curtain'. My great grandfather died saving my grandmother from a sniper. After that, the rifle came into my grandmother's possession, and when she was thirty-five, she moved to America. There, she met my grandfather, a rough-and-tough Irishman that took no bullshit whatsoever, and they were married two weeks later. As a wedding gift, she gave her fiancé her father's rifle, and he made her the redwood rowboat, named after the old Tsar of Russia - Nicholas II. The rest is history.

So yes, I am part Russian and Irish. But, ironically, my grandma taught me to speak German.

"This technology is impressive," Curiel muses as he looks over the family heirloom, "The lever pulls back a bolt, and an internal compartment that carries strange bullets forces the used shell-like casing out of the opening, whilst simultaneously pushing a new shot into the loading mechanism. Genius…"

"Yeah, well, it's a family weapon," I reply, yanking the gun away from the firearms expert, "So no touch!"

I hear Thatch snicker behind me. "Wow, kid!" he chuckles, "Already sassing a Division Commander! I can tell you're on the _fast-track_ to success," that last part was lathered with sarcasm, and I just roll my eyes.

"Newbie, I'm the crew's weapons expert," the Tenth Division Commander rumbles, his sunglasses glinting with a greedy malice, "If you don't hand over that rifle, I'll be forced to punish you for insubordination."

" _Curiel_ ," Thatch glares at his comrade, "Punishing crewmates is the responsibility of either that crewmate's Division Commander, or Pops. You are the _Tenth_ Division Commander, not the _Fourth_."

" _What about it?_ " the green-hat-wearing gunslinger shoots back with just as much intensity.

Thatch stalks up to his fellow Commander, flames in his eyes. "Another _responsibility_ of a Division Commander is to _protect_ the members of his Division from harm as often as possible," he grabs the hilt of his blade, "So if you do much as _touch_ a hair on Kelly's head, I will _shatter_ the 'No In-Fighting' rule and _knock you down a peg_."

"Try it, _pretty boy_ ," Curiel snarls, popping the latch holding one of his bazookas.

I, meanwhile, was in the corner, cowering behind my lever-action rifle, watching as two _Division Commanders_ were facing off against each other.

"How about we settle this in a way that _doesn't_ involve either of us getting beat unconscious by Marco and Jozu, yeah?" Thatch snaps out of 'badass killer' into 'cocky jackass' in a second, offering a second option, "How about putting our Divisions against each other? We each bring twenty lessers, a single Lieutenant, and all of our Sergeants. Does that sound reasonable?"

"That sounds _perfect_ ," the glasses wearing pirate storms off to parts of the ship unknown, "Ten A.M. tomorrow. Bring your best."

"Well," I gulp as I watch the Tenth Division Commander go, "That was intense…"

Thatch snorts right next to me. "You kidding? Out of all the Commanders, he's the least gifted with Armament Haki. Something about it being 'useless at range' or some bullshit like that," he shrugs, "Honestly, if you ask me, it's gonna come up and bite the fucker in the ass sometime in the future. Like, if he tries to fight a Logia or something."

I wince as images of the gunslinger standing defiantly before a volcano cross my mind. "Yeah… I bet it will…"

"Anyways," the Fourth Division Commander claps his hands together, "I'm thinking that we should introduce you to your new crew, yeah?"

"Actually, that would be great!" I genuinely smile, "I can't wait to meet my new friends!"

"Jeez, kid," the pompadour gives me a flat face, "That sounded like legitimately _every_ bland Manga protagonist _ever_."

I sit there for a second, trying to process what I had just heard. "Wait, you have Manga?" I manage to work out that phrase, "And you _read it_?"

I squeak in protest as a Haki-imbued forearm instantly pins me to a wall. " **Tell** _ **anyone**_ **about it and I'll nail your corpse to the bow as a** _ **figurehead**_ **,** " the voice of a demon forces its way out of my Commander's throat, and I frantically nod to keep myself alive. "Great!" his attitude changes instantly once more, "let's go meet your new crewmates then!"

=()=

 _I would_ normally _say that this is a motley band of misfits and mischief makers, but I think that's giving them too much credit…_ I groan internally as I see the nineteen other members of my new Company.

"So, first off, I'll point out your CO's," the Commander says, "That person over there is Leon, our the second-oldest in our Division. Try to meet his wife sometime, she's a pretty cool gal," he points to a young, curly orange-haired, fatherly man with a well-trimmed beard and hazel eyes sitting in a chair, holding a conversation with another man. The other was dark-skinned, with black hair tied back into a man-bun, goatee, and yellow eyes that seemed to search the entire room, "The guy next to him is our Division's resident smartass, Raver, he always knows a lot more about everyone else than he should," Thatch's finger swings around to another guy sitting at a table, counting Berri bills, this one less tan than Raver with messy black hair and purple sunglasses, a cocky smirk on his face, "That's Levi. He's a money-grubbing asshole mercenary and a womanizer. Enough said," he turns to an oblivious-looking guy with mop-like dark blue hair, matching eyes, and the single most dumbass grin in the entire world, who was being ignored by a green-eyed lady with short red hair swept across one eye, "Johnson, who is…" the man falls backwards when the lady pushes him away, hitting the ground with a _thud_ , "Yeah… Then there's Karen, who is good with martial arts and perpetually having a stick up her ass, just like curiel. But, she's disciplined," then, he moves his attention to a grey-eyed, short grey-haired man sitting at a table, playing a game of chess with another crewman, "And _he_ is probably the Division's smartest guy, Dexter, my other Lieutenant. Or he goes by Washer, if you want to call him by his moniker like everyone else."

"Why's he called Washer?" I whisper to the Fourth Division Commander.

"Devil Fruit," comes the reply, "He's able to create soap or something. It's weird."

My mind stalls as I remember a soap-based Devil Fruit from the Manga, specifically one that was used to imitate sheep. "What kind of soap?" I implore.

"Bubbles."

 _You have got to be kidding me_ , I groan internally, and my mind immediately starts making plans to keep the guy alive, so that his Fruit doesn't fall into the hands of CP9's Khalifa. I _know_ that it's screwing with the timeline, but he's my crewmate now. I have to do what I have to do.

The cocky Fourth Commander goes on. "Anyways, any questions, Kelly?"

"Um, who're the last two Lieutenants?"

"Right, well, there's Haruta," Thatch nods, "He's asleep already. He's obsessed with being the best, and he has the talent for it."

 _The Twelfth Division Commander?_ I blink, but Thatch doesn't seem to notice.

"Who's the last?" I ask, and Thatch shrugs.

"She isn't around much, but you'll meet her eventually. Right now she's on an undercover mission," he explains.

"Oh, okay…" I wanted to ask what her name was, but Thatch cuts me off.

"Alright! So, first thing tomorrow we have a practice battle with the Tenth Division. I'm bringing Wash, the Sergeants, and… you twenty," Thatch points to a group of crewmen, "Everyone be on your best game, and please, remember to bring the rubber bullets, we don't want a repeat of the last time," the pompadour opens the door to the barracks, "If you need me, I'll be in my quarters, yeah? Anyways, goodnight everyone!"

I get jostled around as the group dispersed, some going to the winding hallways, some to bed. I glance to the side as I feel a hand on my shoulder, "Hey, new kid, I'd _love_ to get to know you," a baritone-tenor sounds out, and I see that the voice belongs to the Washer-Dexter guy, the Lieutenant, and behind him that Karen chick has her arms crossed as she glares at his back, "But we have a busy day tomorrow, so I'd suggest you get some sleep, okay?"

"Uh, thanks, but I don't have a bunk or anything yet. I've mainly been in the medical bay," I reply, albeit awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah, I feel bad for you," the bubble-man winces, "But hey, you can sleep in my room tonight, that good?"

"Alright, thanks sir!" I smile at him, glad that I'm accepted already.

"Kid, you don't need to call me 'sir'," Washer waves me off, "Call me Washer or some variation of it. That or Dex, whichever suits you, but never 'sir'."

"Oh, then thanks," I respond, "Thanks… Wash."

The Company Commander nods his head and turns toward the rest of the group, "G'night, everyone! See you all tomorrow!" He's met with a cacophony of 'good nights' and 'see ya tomorrow's. Then, the Commander turns to me, "Now, let's go find your bunk."

 **AN: Well, that's the end of this chapter! Now, don't hate me, but I designed my own head-canon for how Whitebeard's crew works. As for all the OCs… the crew of the Whitebeard Pirates was never really given as much thought, so these characters are my way of representing the crew as a whole. Anyways, just wait for next week and the grudge match between the Fourth and Tenth Divisions. See ya then!**


	6. The Grudge Match: Part 1

Chapter 6

 **AN: It is time… for the grudge match.**

Chapter 6

 _So…_ I think to myself as I stare at the bottom of the bunk above me, _Time for the one million dollar- er… Beri question: when am I?_ I think back to the conversation I had with Whitebeard earlier. _He said that he was sixty-five, and in the story, he was said to be seventy-two, so logically, that means I'm currently seven years before the adventures of Luffy. Ace isn't on the crew yet… that'll happen in, what, four or five years? So I have plenty of time to plan…_

"Hey rookie, can't sleep?" the voice of Company Commander Dexter, a.k.a. 'Washer' sounds out below me.

"How did you know I was awake?" I respond, not giving a direct answer, "I was being completely silent."

"Kid," his tone is the vocal version of a deadpan, "Once you've been on this crew, you know that _no one_ sleeps like they're in a casket." - I was laying down on my back with my legs straight and together, with my hands resting on my stomach.

"Good point…" I reply, "But yeah, I can't sleep right now."

"It happens to the best of us," his tone is serious, but reassuring, "I mean, Thatch _rarely_ gets any sleep and Pops… well, we like to call him the Vigilant Giant."

"Yeah," I muse, "I suppose…" I go silent.

Washer seems to notice my shift, and pipes up a second later. "Something on your mind?"

I bite my lip. "Yeah. Thatch was telling me earlier today about the Division pecking order, and there were a few things he left out."

"Like what?"

"Well, how strong or skilled you have to be in order to become even a _Sergeant_. It was really strange," I explain.

"Oh, I can answer that one easy!" the Commander muses, "It isn't actually based on strength alone. It's a combination of a ton of factors like respect, loyalty, overall skill, special abilities and capability to rise above the rest. It's rather competitive. Take me, as an example. I'm not able to beat people like Haruta in a straight-up fight, but I rather got here because of a tactical mindset and fighting smart. Whereas Haruta fights harder, not smarter. Thatch is where he is because he's experienced, strong, and smart with how he fights. He's also a smartass."

"Yeah, that _does_ seem like something he is…" I reply, and Washer chuckles.

"Well kid, I hope this cleared some stuff up," the man's voice is smiley - if that makes sense - and he taps me on the shoulder, "But _you_ need to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."

"Yeah," I nod as my eyes drift close, "Big day…"

=()=

My eyes flutter open, and I take in the straw bunk above me. "Well Ian, today is trial by fire…" I mutter to myself, "Don't muck it up."

I jolt as a bundle of cloth lands on my head, and I only see darkness before I yank it off. "Hey, newbie," one of the crew - Leon, I think - mumbles as he pulls me off the bed, "Get up, it's already nine-thirty."

My eyes widen as my head hits the floor. "Nine- _thirty!?_ Crap! I'm late!" I panic as I scramble up, not caring to put on anything other than the wool pajamas I was wearing.

"Woah, there!" the fatherly carrot-head just _appears_ in front of me, leaning on a wall, "What's with the rush?"

"You just said it's nine-thirty! We're gonna be _late_!" I try to push past the Squad Commander, but he stops me, his hazel eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Nah, kiddo! We ain't late!" he smiles, "In fact, you're not late at all! Most of us are just getting ready," he was right. All around the two of us, groups of the Company were pulling on clothes and strapping on dull swords and rubber-bullet rifles.

"W-what?" I sputter, confused, "But why aren't we out on the training grounds? Why aren't we already prepared?"

" _Papapa._ Kid…" Leon chuckles, "If there's one thing you need to know about this crew, it's that we're _always_ late to the party," he pushes one of the rifles into my chest, and I grab the cold metal barrel, "Buuuut, you should probably get ready. Dexter'll be checking in soon, and you wouldn't like him when he's angry~" the orange-haired leader trudges over to another Squad Commander - Levi? - and they begin to chatter about _something_. Then, the door smashed open.

" _Alright, everyone!_ " Washer bellows, causing me to jump, " _Let's get moving!_ "

" _YOU GOT IT!_ " the rest of the Company responds just as enthusiastically, and my eardrums pop from the raw noise. When I recover, the entire Company is moving out the door.

"Hey!" I stop one of them, "Are we moving already!?"

"Yep!" the man grins, "I'd follow! Wash don't like people who are late!"

"But… I'm still in my pajamas!" I sputter indignantly, "How am I supposed to fight in this!?"

"Hey, that sounds like a 'you' problem," the man shrugs, "See ya on the field little guy!"

"I'm not-!" I groan, being a few inches taller, but ultimately just accept the name.

"Hey there, Kelly," the calm baritone of Leon's voice sounds beside me, "You ready for today?"

"...No…" I respond, kind of down at how bad at this I am.

"Sure you are," I feel the Company Commander's hand on my shoulder. Warm, but unfamiliar, "You've got the entire Company alongside you. There's nothing you can't beat."

I sigh. "Why are you being so supportive of me?" I ask the man, "I'm not a good shot with your guys' weapons, and I can't swing a sword, so I have no relevance in this… competition. I'll only slow you all down."

The Lieutenant huffs. "Kid, I'm the leader of this twenty man unit, and their lives are ultimately mine to protect," he explains, "I help them _all_ through _anything_ , no matter what the problem is. Big or small, meaningful or meaningless, I take care of my men, and that means _you_ as well," he let's go, and walks away, "You're with Karen today, so get going," that's his last comment before he melds into the bustling group.

 _Karen?_ I think, _That's the red-haired chick, right? Where is she…?_

"Hey," a voice that, honestly, there is no way to describe it other than completely idiotic, sounds out behind me, half-whispered, "A-are you looking for red lady?"

I turn to the speaker - the blue-haired Sergeant. Johnson, I think - and immediately cock my head in confusion as I see him crouched behind a barrel, staring at me with wide open eyes, "Yes… Sir…?" I phrase that as kind of a question, but he just stares through me.

"Oh, wait, do you mean me?" he points to himself, confused, and I nod, "Well, of _course_ you mean me! But could you use my name next time? My name isn't _sir_ , it is John! Johnson!" he exclaims flamboyantly, and I immediately mentally faceplant. This was going to be a long talk…

"Yes… Johnson… I am looking for Sergeant Karen," I respond, "Do you know where she is?"

"Oh, yes, red hair lady… I know where she is..." he nods, and I lean in closer, preparing for an answer, "Wait! No I don't," my face slams into the wooden floor, and my sanity begins to crumble.

"Then why did you say you knew where she was!?" I groan as I peel my face off the floor, slightly pissed.

"Because, I thought that I knew where she was, but then…" he gestures me closer, " _I didn't_ ," he whispers the last part, and my eye twitches.

"Dude, _please_ just tell me where she is, I need to know," I'm practically _pleading_ at this point.

"Wait! I think I know where she is…" he stares at me dumbly, or… behind… me…

"Why are you looking for me?" a commanding alto huffs out behind me, and I instantly snap to attention, scared shitless.

"W-Washer told me you were my Sergeant today, so I-!" I hastily start to explain, but am cut off as a hand spins me around to face someone… ah, let's say beautiful, in case she can read minds. I mean, she was pretty, yeah, but _oh boy_ , let me tell you, her fucking _aura_ was _terrifying_. Think of Nami when her money is getting spent, then _triple that_. Now you have a good idea of what I'm up against.

" _Hmph_ ," the terrifying woman shrugs and scowls, turning away, but when I don't follow, aha glances back, and I _swear_ I saw the fucking _devil_ behind her. Akainu be _damned_ , "Follow," Karen commands, and I oblige, fearing for my life.

"Um…" I gulp, and my bowels nearly void themselves as she gives me a piercing glare, " _Areweheadedtothetrainingroom?_ " I squeak under her burning gaze.

"Yes, we are," she answers, _somewhat_ easing my fear. She turns to Leon and the black-haired Sergeant, Levi, and barks, "You two! Come with me, now!"

"Babe, I'll do that _anytime_!" comes the response, and Levi _shaves_ next to us, his arm around Karen's shoulder, "If ya know what I'm _sayin_ '?" he looks at me and wiggles his eyebrows, but grunts as Karen elbows him in the balls, "-ow…" he squeaks two pitches higher as he collapses on the floor.

"Ooh, ouch," Leon winces, right next to me, "He's gonna feel _that_ one the rest of the day."

"We're leaving for the training room," Karen glares at the rest of us, and when we don't respond, she doubles the intensity, " **Now**."

"Yes ma'am!" Leon, a recovering Levi, Johnson, and I all rush out of the barracks, fearing for our lives.

" _Dude!_ " I pant to Leon, fleeing the demon, "What is her _deal!?_ "

"Well, she and Washer used to be on the same crew, with her as the Captain!" comes the response.

"Was it some kind of cliché backstory?"

"Actually, you would think so, but no!" the Sergeant yells, "She's actually just really competitive, and when Pops chose her first mate as a Lieutenant, and put _her_ as a _Sergeant_ , she got pissed, and has been in a pissy mood since! She also pushes her men hard, so sorry for being stuck with her!"

"Wow…" I narrow my eyes,feet slapping the wooden floor, "So the reason she's like this is because she's not considered the best? Kind of petty if ya ask me…"

"Ah… yes… don't say that around her," Johnson nods fervently, "She _really_ doesn't like that. Or puppies. Or kittens. Actually, kittens are understandable…"

Leon and I stare at the fourth member of our merry band of misfits. "Is he always like this?" I finally ask, and Leon groans.

"You don't even know the half of it…"

"Johnson!" Levi shouts, clutching the place Franky would in seven years, "Why are you running with us!? You're stronger than Wash, and she wouldn't hurt you because you're a literal fucking _dumbass!_ "

"Oh, yes, I was running because everyone else was," Johnson replies serenely.

"Get back there and _stall!_ " the black-haired Commander screams at the idiot, and his blue-haired counterpart obliges.

"Wait, he's stronger than Wash?" I pant, " _How!?_ "

"He knows four of the Six Powers," Leon responds, and _that_ catches me by surprise.

"Wait, so he's stronger than Washer and _not_ a Lieutenant?" I ask.

"Well, you see, he _would_ be higher-up if he didn't have the IQ of a five year-old," Levi rolls his eyes, "Because anything other than fighting he's useless with, and even _that_ can be difficult to get him into, so yeah…"

 _Huh, and here I was thinking that_ Luffy _would've been bad to deal with…_ I think to myself as we round a corner, _He is so much worse-_

"You're all late," we freeze as the cocky baritone of Fourth Division Commander Thatch sounds out, and one quick glance shows him, Wash, and the rest of the Company gathered around a table, getting a game plan ready. The Commander grins, "Luckily for you, I'm no Curiel, so I don't care."

"Alright, since you all are late to the party - despite being Sergeants," Wash gives us a flat face, "We'll just explain the game plan again."

"So," Thatch begins, "We're all familiar with Curiel's style of fighting, right? Well, everyone besides Kelly here," he looks at me pointedly, "So we're in the know that he likes a forward assault through and through, and will likely commit all his forces down the center lanes."

"Because of this, we will send a squad down each of these lanes-" he slides his fingers across the left and right flank, "-and effectively surround them. Hopefully, they'll surrender at that point, but Curiel is a stubborn SOB, so we can't be sure."

"Levi, Leon," Thatch glances at the two, the former still wincing in pain whenever he moves, "You two are moving down those lanes. Dexter and I will take Johnson and his squad down the center to meet Curiel. Karen, you're on sniper duty. Get into the highest point you can and only come down when I wave _this_ red flag," he waves said red flag as an example.

"Everyone on the same page?" Wash finishes the briefing, and we all nod, sure that this plan would work, "Good, let's get going."

We all stride out onto the stage of battle, and my rifle weighs heavy in my hand. The place was quite well-made, stuck near the back of the _Moby Dick_ , and a series of walls and other obstacles blocked vision at specific points, and three wooden towers stood tall, two at the left and right sides and one in the middle _The plan seems simple enough_ … I think to myself as I see our opponents arriving at the same time. It was exactly ten o'clock.

"Thatch!" Curiel rumbles cheerfully from across the way, and I can see his chosen Company behind him, "This is actually _surprising_! I wasn't expecting you to take part in this one, you have a tendency to let Wash handle the actual commanding!"

"Well, I mean," Thatch rubs the back of his head, "I'm an okay Commander, but Dex is just _better_ at it!"

"So you admit he should take your place?" the Tenth Division Commander smirks knowingly.

In response, the pompadour puts his hands up defensively. "Woah, there! I never said that, I just acknowledged him as a better tactician, not a nominee for my replacement!"

"Sure, sure," the green hat-wearing gunman gives Thatch a flat look, "So, you ready to start this battle?"

"Sure, but tell me, which Company did you pick?" the Fourth Commander asks.

"The third."

"As you can see, I chose the second," Thatch gestures to the rest of us.

"Wait, why?" Curiel narrows his eyes, "They are far from the best combat wise, despite their leader being extremely efficient."

The Fourth Division Commander sighs. "Remember a couple months back when we ran into that New Headliner on Kaido's crew, Jack?" after that was said, no one talked.

"Understandable," the Tenth Division Commander nods, "I apologize for forgetting."

"It's fine, let's just get this thing going, yeah?" Thatch stares at the floor. Their last skirmish with The Beast Pirates was obviously a bad one. Our two groups soon separate, and Karen gathers me and the three others that made up my new Squad.

"Listen up!" she orders, and all of us instantly oblige, "We are in charge of providing covering fire for our forces-"

"Wash already told us that," one of the group states, and the red-haired Commander's eye visibly twitches.

"Did I _ask_ for your opinion?" our, ah, _very nice and cool headed_ leader _politely_ shuts him up. The man hastily shakes his head, "That's what I thought. Now, what I was saying _before_ I got so _rudely_ interrupted was that we are going to go up to that tower," she points to the leftmost wooden structure, "And lay down the law on whoever is dumb enough to show their heads. _Am I clear?_ "

"Yes ma'am!" my three comrades salute, but I'm a bit late to the draw, and don't salute in time.

"Am. I. _Clear?_ " Karen growls, suddenly getting _very_ close. It was intimidating.

"Yes ma'am," I squeak, and she snorts in annoyance.

"Let's go," she waves at the rest of us, and we get ready to run, "And I _don't_ want _any_ cheek from the rest of you."

We stand there in silence, waiting for some signal to send us off. " _Psst_ ," I whisper to the man next to me, who has a pistol and a sword, " _What are we waiting for?_ "

" _Shhh!_ " I'm shushed as he puts a finger to his lips.

"Did you just _shush-_ "

 _FWEEET!_

A whistle breaks the silence, and the entire squad breaks out into a sprint, making a beeline to the left tower. I, however, don't react in time, and was now trailing behind them, hauling ass to keep up. _Why wasn't I told these things ahead of time!?_ I pant as I swerve around a wall that was blocking my path. We finally make it to the wooden structure, and all file in to the top floor, the man with the pistol and sword covering our entry point. Then, the gunfire started.

=( **Thatch** )=

It was always interesting. Combat was methodical, constantly allowing for him to let go of his fears and just _fight_. But this wasn't just any combat. _This_ … Fourth Division Commander Thatch thought to himself as he charged forward to the center of the training arena, _This is personal_.

"Thatch," his trusty second-in-command, 'Whitewash' Dexter - also known as Washer by his Company - ran up next to him, "I have a plan to deal with Curiel, if you'll hear it…?"

The pompadour waves him off. "I already have a plan to deal with the gun nerd. _You_ just need to take care of that damn Zoan he calls a Company Commander."

Washer sighs, exasperated. "I was afraid you'd say that…"

=( **Leon and Levi** )=

Leon and Levi both charged down the center behind Thatch and Wash, ready to split off at any moment. Leon had two pistols, while Levi gripped a longsword.

"Hey, Levi," Leon glances over at Levi, who still occasionally winces due to the earlier blow to his masculinity he was dealt earlier, "Are you _sure_ you're okay?"

"Yeah," his black-haired counterpart huffs, "I'm fine," the Squad Commander points to two gaps in the obstacles up ahead, "We should split there, agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Well, see ya later then!" and with that, the two Sergeants took their men their respective ways, Leon on the left, and Levi on the right.

=( **Johnson** )=

Johnson stood back at the starting point, looking around confused. "Where is everyone? * _Gasp_ * They disappeared!"

=( **Kelly** )=

I clamber up a ladder in the wooden structure and set the rifle on a railing. At this point, small groups of two to three were either shooting at each other or locking dulled blades. Suddenly, an elastic _twang_ reaches my ears, and a quick glance shows a rubber shot buried partway into the wooden railing right in front of me. _What the fuck!?_ I panic, _Why are these guns powerful enough to bury_ that _in_ wood!?

Another bullet whizzes past my head, striking the wall behind me, and I drop to the deck. "Everyone take cover!" Karen yells as a hail of shots bounce and embed all around us. One of my squadmates gets struck in the head and falls to the deck, unconscious. My mind simply melts under the pressure.

 _Wait, he's a_ New World _Pirate, and got knocked cold,_ I think to myself as I get as far away from the railing as possible, _And I'm just a weak human from_ my _world, which is weaker than just an everyday citizen in the_ Blues _. If I get hit…_ I gulp at the thought.

"What are you doing!?" I'm snapped out of my horror as my Squad Commander grabs my shoulder and shakes me to and fro, "You're a sniper, shoot back!" she screams.

"Y-yes ma'am!" I slowly crawl back to the railing, and peek over the edge. A pair of riflemen we're hiding behind a sideways obstacle, making it difficult to get a decent shot. The suppression just added on to that difficulty, as each were firing as fast as their bolt action rifles allowed them to. I hide my head from their view as I try to think of a plan. _So, they're using ammo quickly by firing that fast, meaning they have to reload at some time, which would give me a chance to take them out, or at least move to a better position, maybe take them by surprise on the ground._

"What are you _doing_!?" Karen hisses at me, "I told you to take them _out_!"

"I'm waiting for them to run out-"

"I don't want to hear it!" she growls, "Now get up and _shoot them_!"

 _I can see why she's not liked_ , I grumble as I army crawl back to the edge, _Well, here goes nothing…_

" _Gah!/Aaaugh!_ " I hear screams from below, and hastily peek out again.

"We're these guys giving you a hard time?" Leon smirks from below, waving up, "You're welcome for the save."

"Thanks!" I grin, thankful for not having to possibly die by high-velocity rubber-bullet induced concussion.

"There they are!" a foreign voice catches my attention, and I spin, aim, and shoot.

My shot embeds itself into a wooden obstacle as a group of three Tenth Division men take cover. _Shit! I missed_.

"Relax, little Kelly, we got this," Leon pops his neck and knuckles as Karen strides over to the railing and jumps down, despite her orders to stay up there.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the red-haired female Commander smashes her hands through the wall and pulls out two of the three enemies, "Some _idiots_ to test my skills on."

The orange-haired Commander kicks through the rest of the barrier, and the pieces bounce off of a brown-haired man with matching eyes, who is standing there with his arms crossed. "Leon!" the man exclaims, "To what do I have the pleasure?"

"Not much, James!" the Squad Commander replies, "In fact, I was hoping that you could show me a good time!"

"Leon, you _know_ that I don't swing that way," the man brushes off his clothes, which were very fancy for what we were doing. Think Blueno.

"That's funny, _papa_ ," Leon chuckles, and then he _moved_. The next instant, his hand was _crushing_ James' wrist, causing the man to wince in pain, "Because last time I checked…" the floor splinters as the Tenth Division Squad Commander smashes into it, swung around like a rag doll.

" _You swing any way I_ want _you to!_ "

 **AN: Ok, sorry for splitting the chapter in two, but I've been pressed for time recently. This chapter, sadly, wasn't my best chapter, and I apologize for the hectic nature. The character development mixed in with combat was an experiment, and it wasn't an easy thing to write. Next chapter is going to be based around fights, so no complex interactions, just people beating the everloving crap out of each other. Also, Devil Fruits and new attacks for things such as the Bubble Bubble Fruit. So, see ya next week, and sorry if this one was confusing.**


	7. The Grudge Match: Part 2

Chapter 7

 **AN: And we're back! For today's lineup, we have a hard headed bash between Sergeants! After that, we have shows of power and durability from the Lieutenants! Finally, a duel between Division Commanders, who have enough power to** _ **obliterate**_ **the** _ **Moby Dick**_ **. So, let's start where we left off…**

Chapter 7

" _You swing any way I_ want _you to!_ " Sergeant Leon of the Fourth Division roars as he slams James, a man from the Tenth Division with an equal position, into the wooden deck of the _Moby Dick_ 's training ground.

" _Gah!_ " Leon's opponent grits his teeth as wooden splinters slide off of his hastily thrown up Iron Body.

 _Holy shit_ … my mouth hangs open as I see the pure show of strength, _I'm_ never _going to reach that level of strength, ever_.

I jump as a pair of bodies crash into the wooden overhang of the sniper tower I was stationed on. " _Hmph_ ," Karen, my current Sergeant, comments as she glances down at her comrade, "He's going at it."

"That'll teach you," Leon huffs, brushing off his hands, "But I honestly expected more, James! You always float about how you're stronger than me, but you flop in the moment of truth," he clicks disappointedly, "For shame," he begins to walk away.

He freezes when splinters bounce off of his back.

" _Don't go away yet_ …" the calm exterior of the Tenth Division member is gone, and his brown hair is ruffled and messy, "The show hasn't started…"

Leon turns around, confused. "Wha-?"

 _Slam!_

And is promptly cut off as he goes flying twenty feet into a wall.

" _Forceful palm_ ," James rumbles as he stands tall.

"...crap…" I summarize.

=( **Levi** )=

Levi sprints through multiple obstacles, his fellow crewmates filing behind him.

"Hey, boss?" one of them asks, "Where are all those Tenth bastards?"

The Sergeant slows, thinking the exact same thing. _It_ is _weird that we haven't encountered any enemies yet, they must be on the other side. I hope Leon has it covere-_

 _Bang!_

Levi reacts, twisting his body towards the shot and drawing his blade from its sheath, and the next moment, two halves of a rubber shot bounce off of the floor. "Nice try!" the cocky man grins.

In response, a hail of bullets rain down on the five. Almost instantly, two of Levi's companions fall to the ground, unconscious, and the remaining two five behind cover. Only the Sergeant remains out in the open. In a flurry of steel and wind, the swordsman sliced through every single shot sent his way, moving at nearly inhuman speeds.

"Return fire!" Levi calls to the remaining members of his squad, "I'll cover you!" the two riflemen dive out from behind their cover and bring up their weapons, shooting in the direction that the enemy was.

"Hold your fire!" a voice sounds, and the hail of gunfire immediately stops.

"What the…?" Levi frowns, and turns as a man strides out from behind a wall, clapping slowly.

"Well done, Levi, well _done_ ," a blond haired man with hazel eyes and a sword at his hip smirks at the black haired Fourth Division member, "Maybe next time you could figure out a way to use your ego as a shield."

"Keven," the swordsman scowls, "Maybe you should take your own advice. It might help you beat me."

" _Checheche_ ," Keven glares bloody murder at his opponent, "You've got a big mouth as always, _Levi_."

"Hey, that's not the only thing I have that's big," the black-haired Commander smirks, holding up his blade in a ready stance.

" _Please_ ," his blonde enemy waves him off, "You're _obviously_ compensating, you overconfident swine," he draws his own weapon, holding it at his side, "Or can you prove me wrong?"

Levi dashes forward, quickly locking blades with his enemy, and stares straight into his eyes. " _Bring it_."

=( **Wash and Thatch** )=

" _Bleached Wave!_ " Lieutenant 'Washer' Dexter yells as a wave of white bubbles floods towards the enemy squads. The wave breaks over the riflemen and swordsmen, wiping out those that didn't hide behind a wall or obstacle.

" _Spotlight!_ " Fourth Division Commander Thatch grins as he points the tip of his blade at another group, and a bright flash tears through the air, blinding them, while a group of his own men gun them down with their rifles.

" _Augh!_ " But the battle wasn't so one-sided. Raver, the opposing Lieutenant, despite being a Fourth Division member, was tearing through Thatch and Wash's own troops, darting to and fro with his Devil Fruit, the Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Cheetah. Wash could see the lust of battle in the cat-man's eyes, and he knew it wouldn't be easy.

" _Speeding Shred!_ " the Cheetah-Man roars as he twists his body mid-air, claws spread to his sides, obliterating a flurry of rubber bullets coming his way

" _Cannonade!_ " Tenth Division Commander Curiel yells as he dual-wields his bazookas, unleashing a hailstorm of rubber cannonballs, which tear through what few men Thatch and Washer have left. Silence reigns supreme as the unconscious form of nearly fifteen pirates lay still, two of Curiel's Sergeants among them.

"So…" Thatch glares at Curiel, jerking his head behind him, "What say _we_ take _our_ fight elsewhere?"

"Agreed," Curiel nods yes, then turns to his Lieutenant, "Raver, go to the other side and stay out of our way, understand?"

"You too, Wash," Thatch orders the Bubble-Man, "I don't want you getting hurt by getting between us."

The two subordinates accept their orders, and move to another section of the room. Once they were out of harm's way, a smile makes its way onto the face of one Fourth Division Commander. "Well, Curiel, let's begin."

=( **Leon and Karen** )=

"Damn, that _hurt_ …" Leon rubs the back of his head as he pulls himself out of the wooden wreckage.

"More will come. _Force Palm_ ," the calm voice of Tenth Division Sergeant James sounds above him, and Leon reacts.

" _Shave!_ " he hisses as he pounds his feet into the ground, five times per second. Not a true shave _yet_ , but good enough to get him away from whatever attack was sent his way. It's a good thing, too, as the wooden structure he was laying in seconds earlier was _obliterated_.

" _Tempest Kick!_ " a blade of air passes the orange-haired man, and seconds later, slams into his foe, causing him to fly back, finally grinding to a halt on the floor, "Need some help?" a somewhat bossy tone asks, and he turns to the red-haired Sergeant he knew was behind him.

"Thanks for the save," he pants, "And yes, some help would be nice."

"Well _too bad_!" the vixen growls, green eyes flashing dangerously, "Because I ain't here to help. I'm here to _win_ ," with that, Karen charges towards the recovering James, rearing back one fist digit extended, " _Finger Pistol!_ "

" _Hrgh_ ," her brown-haired foe simply tanks the attack, "Now _Force Palm!_ " the attack hits Karen head-on, putting a large dent in her shoulder.

" _Ack!_ " she cries, but quickly recovers, going back on the offensive, " _Rrrgh!_ _Tempest Kick!_ " she roars as the blade of air forms, but her leg is caught before she can get anything useful.

"Sorry, dear," the Tenth Division Sergeant snorts as he rears back, "But I didn't start a fight with _you_!" and hurls her by the leg through several obstacles, ending with a massive kickup of dust and splinters. When it settles, the rash Sergeant is unconscious.

"We should've taken him together…" Leon huffs as he turns to face his enemy, "So, how are we gonna do this? Are we gonna have a startup, or-"

" _Force Palm_ ," James cuts him off as he rushes towards him, finger leaving a hole in the ground where he was.

" _Shave_ ," Leon appears behind him, pistols drawn, and growls, " _Tempest Pistol_ ," he fires, and his own makeshift version of the Tempest Kick is fired, each shot surrounded by a powerful sphere of air. The rubber bullets strike the brown-eyed Sergeant in the shoulder and hip, throwing him backwards.

" _Gah!_ " James yells as he slams into the wooden stilts of a tower, causing it to creak dangerously. In fact, it was the one that Karen's squad was in, so that means-

"Oh, Thatch is gonna _kill_ me…" the Sergeant laments as the structure tilts over, and the leg finally gives. Little Ian Kelly tumbles screaming in terror from the ledge, along with the three other members of Karen's squad, and Leon _moves_. Using his semi-perfect shave, he quickly rams his body into the group, sending them all tumbling to the side, and leaving him dazed. Then, he feels a hand on the side of his head.

"Don't move, Leon," James smirks, "Wouldn't want me to hit the others, would you?"

Leon grinds his teeth, thinking of a way out of this, but his saving grace comes in the form of a raging Karen, hellbent on revenge. " _BASTARD_!" she screams as she kicks the Tenth Division Sergeant into the floor. Unfortunately for James, getting kicked in the head by an enraged Karen, _without_ expecting it beforehand? Instant K.O.

Leon groans, and a slight shift next to him indicates the rookie is just waking up. "W-what happened?" the kid asks, and Leon sighs.

"We got him, kiddo, we got him."

=( **Levi** )=

 _Fuckin_ hate _this guy!_ Levi grits his teeth, pushing his blade against his opponent's, locked in combat, _He's too fast to hit!_

"Having trouble, Levi?" Keven smirks, only holding his blade with one hand, mockingly, "You stand no chance of defeating me, your swordsmanship is weak."

"Oh yeah?" the Fourth Division Sergeant growls, "We'll see about that," he breaks off from his opponent, and slashes, a wide sweep from the right, but it was easily deflected, " _Piercing Shot!_ " Levi yells after recovering, and jabs his blade.

The blonde dodges easily, simply sidestepping, and his blade descends in an arc, nicking Levi's wrist, causing him to bleed. _Wait, blood!?_ Levi panics, _He's not allowed to use a sharpened blade! This is a training session!_ "You're using a sharpened blade! That's not allowed!"

The cheater scowls, and slashes, which Levi blocks with his own _dulled_ blade. "I. Don't. _Care_."

The two exchange swipes and slashes, a flurry of steel and wind, slashing at whatever gets too close. "You're signing your own death warrant, if you know what I'm capable of!" Levi yells as he parries a quick thrust.

"At least I'll have beaten you in mind and body, you worthless waste of space!" Keven laughs, "Now either give in or be beaten, mercenary!"

"Those are the same things!" the Fourth Sergeant growls, and he feints, moving his body one way while stabbing another. This causes them to lock blades once more, "But you aren't beating me today! Because I have backup, and I don't care for fighting without using it. _Now!_ " Levi glances at one of his riflemen, who signals the other, and they each fire one shot in sync, both striking the deceiving Tenth Sergeant in the temples, knocking him out cold. _Didn't even get to use the six powers that I know…_ Levi sighs, tired from the short but taxing battle, then turns to the other four opponents left over. "Now, who's next?"

=( **Wash** )=

"So, Raver, how do you want to start this out?" Washer asks the hybrid, who is jumping up and down impatiently on one leg.

"I dunno," he responds, "It just kinda seems awkward now, it just isn't a natural fight… it's too set up, too _rushed_."

"Sooo, you _don't_ want to fight?" Wash asks, confused, but the response says otherwise. As in, it was an extended claw, aimed at his head. Of course, Wash put up a shield of bubbles that stopped the attack in its tracks, but it's the thought that counts.

"Oh, I never said I didn't want to fight," the carnivorous Zoan grins, his sharpened teeth glinting in the light, "I just said I had problems with how we got to it. I'll still kick your ass, no problem."

"Sure you will," the Lieutenant snorts, " _Bleached Spear!_ " a spike of pure white bubbles emerges from the paramecia-user's hand, nicking the side of the Zoan's face.

" _Grgh_ …" Raver grunts as he jumps back, his speed making him nearly impossible to see. _Nearly_ impossible.

" _Bleached Cage!_ " Washer yells as he extends his arms, and another flood of bubbles comes forth, speeding towards the Cheetah-Man. _I don't have to beat him, just trap him_ , the gray-haired Lieutenant strategizes, _the problem with_ that _plan is that he could be too fast, and we aren't in a place that has surrounding walls,_ the strategist thinks, _So, I may just have to make my own…_ he focuses, sending the bubbles in small streams to each opening between the nearest obstacles, so he can trap the predator. _Now to just keep him occupied…_

" _Speeding Tempest Kick!_ " Raver yells, and not a moment later, a supersonic blast of pressurized air tears through the three foot thick wall of steel-strength bubbles Wash had sent his way.

 _Crap,_ Wash gulps as he realizes what had happened, _If he can cut through my bubbles with that much ease, it throws my plan to the scrapper. He could easily just cut through my cage… well, time to do this the old fashioned way._

"What's wrong, Dexter?" his opponent grins, eyes flashing with animalistic greed, "Wasn't expecting me to be able to cut through?"

Washer tries to put on a calm exterior, his mind racing for an answer to this new development. "I see you're still well versed in the Six Powers, Raver," he grits his teeth, "But this is just a momentary setback. I'm still taking you down."

"We'll see about that…" the Cheetah Zoan's eyes betray a ravenous hunger, and the man disappears.

"Where-?" Wash begins, but freezes as his vision goes gray, and he feels a finger go through the back of his skull. The colors soon return to the world, and he instantly ducks, not a moment too soon. The Bubble-Man feels a gust of wind in his hair as a clawed yellow digit passes over his head. Crouching, he sticks his leg out and spins, catching Raver's legs in the process, sending the Zoan to the ground. However, the moment his two clawed hands touched the ground, he disappeared once more.

"Was that _Observation Haki_?" Raver hisses, moving at such speeds that Wash couldn't follow, "You've gotten _stronger_ , good job!"

"I can't be helpless against speed forever, can I?" the grey-eyed Commander responds, slowly surrounding himself in bubbles, these ones packed as densely as possible. At the same time, Wash concentrates, attempting to use Haki to detect his speedy opponent. Finally, he sees-

" _Speeding Iron Slam!_ " the cheetah-man roars, behind him, and Wash reactively ejects as many bubbles below him, sending him up in a pillar. In the same moment, Raver crashes into the impromptu platform, obliterating it.

" _Gagh!_ " Wash grunts as he collapses on the floor, his back crackling dangerously, and the air is forced out of his lungs. He sits there, dazed, for a few moments, trying to regain his energy, and becomes somewhat aware of a figure standing over him, the figure was lean, and had yellow fur-like skin with black-

 _Ohshit_ , his mind sums it up, and the figure raises his hand, waving the fingers as if to say goodbye.

"Sweet dreams, Dex," his Zoan opponent wears a feral grin, and he rears back a fist, "I'll see you when you wake up."

And with that, the Lieutenant's vision went black.

=( **Thatch** )=

" _Cannonade!_ "

" _Spotlight!_ "

" _Gunman!_ "

" _Disco Fever!_ "

Beams of reflected light and rubber rounds alike flew through the air at impossible speeds, weaving between the two battlefield superpowers that were Fourth Commander Thatch and Tenth Commander Curiel as they battled back and forth.

" _Spinning in Style!_ " Thatch roars as he twirls on a dime, kicking up sawdust from the pure friction and creating a tornado of razor-sharp steel, "Can't get past this, can ya Curiel?"

"Yeah, right," the gutsy gunman sneers as he levels one of his bazookas, "This'll be _easy_. _One Shot!_ " the mobile cannon belched out a stream of flame, propelling a ten pound rubber ball towards his opponent, which strikes the ground in front, sending splinters into Thatch's swirling tornado of death.

" _Gah!_ " Thatch cries as the splinters are sucked in, slipping into his skin, "Damn it- _Groovy Slash!_ " he pulls out of his first attack, rushing Curiel and leveling his blade at the hip bringing it up to his shoulder in a diagonal slash.

Curiel simply jumps back to a comfortable range. "Nice try, Thatch. You can't attack quickly enough at range, so you stand no chance," the Commander draws both his pistols and fires, their rapid-fire rate sending ball after ball of molded rubber at his swordsman opponent.

" _Rrrgh_ … _Psycho on the Dance Floor_ ," Thatch growls, irritated, and he suddenly _disappears_ , but slashes begin to appear at random all throughout the wooden floors and obstacles, but the chaotic pattern was soon evidently seen as a circle… around Curiel.

 _Let's see ya get past_ this _one, ya gun-wielding freak!_ the Fourth Commander snarls internally as he closed in on his foe, _Make one move and you're screwed_.

" _Snapshot!_ " Curiel suddenly cries, yanking out one of his bazookas. Heaving it around, he fires shot after bouncy shot towards Thatch, but each missed, and his eyes narrowed. The Tenth Commander closed his eyes, using the power of Observation Haki to see not where Thatch is, but where he _will_ be. With that, he fires _one_ shot-

 _Bang!_

" _Augh!_ "

-and hits his target. The pompadour crashes to the ground, sword skidding to a halt multiple feet away, and Curiel strides over to his fallen foe, pointing a pistol at his face. "You _lost_ , Thatch. Give up."

"I won't," comes the reply, "And you know that."

The man in the goggle just huffs, annoyed. "Yeah, but it's worth asking," he brings his second pistol up, so now the threat was _doubled_ , "Look, no hard feelings, but this is going to hurt, even if it _is_ just rubber," and he pulls the trigger.

 _Click._

"What?" Curiel blinks when nothing comes out. The gun was empty.

In an instant, Thatch's hand becomes blackened as Armament Haki surrounds his arm, and he slides under Curiel's legs, popping up and slicing the bazookas on his back. Curiel was now without a weapon, and Thatch had his Haki. "You're on the losing side now, bud," the Fourth Commander grins, "How 'bout _you_ give up."

Curiel glances to the side, at Thatch's blade, and kicks with one foot, catching his foe in the stomach. He dives for the sword, grasps it, and brings it up to catch the Haki-imbued hand that came right at him.

"Learned a few things, I see," Thatch grins, and Curiel returns it.

"When you're around Vista, it happens," the two stand there, silent, as they struggle back and forth, their expressions ones of glee-

" _WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!_ "

-which immediately turn to horror as the voice of Edward Newgate booms across the training field.

 **AN: aaand there you go! Hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Chapter 8: The Prologue

Chapter 8

 **AN: And here's the eighth chapter!**

Chapter 8

 _I am soooo glad my name isn't Thatch right now…_ I gulp as I take in the titan-sized chewing out that Whitebeard was giving both Division Commanders.

"- _You take me away from my sake, pit your damaged Divisions against each other, and destroy the training room!_ " Edward Newgate bellows furiously, but notably _without_ using his Conqueror's Haki and unbearable pressure, " _Our new family member was nearly killed, and Dexter is now in the infirmary because of you!_ _ **What do you have to say for yourselves?**_ "

Thatch was notably jarred, but Curiel maintained his title of 'Complete and Utter Badass' due to the fact that he strode up to our Captain, looked him straight in the face… and crumpled before the most powerful man in the world. " _FORGIVE US MORTAL FOOLS, FOR WE KNOW NOTHING BUT YOUR MERCY!_ " what, you expected him to actually _stand up_ to Pops? Seriously, he was bullheaded in the story, but I doubt he was _that_ stupid.

"Nice going, 'Commander'," Tenth Division Lieutenant Raver deadpans at his pleading temporary Commander, but that dead look quickly turned into one of fear as Whitebeard's wrath turned on him.

"Don't think I forgot _you_ ," the titan growls, and the Cheetah-Man shrinks back with a strangled whine, " _You_ could have _stopped_ all of this, but your Zoan need for battle clouded your judgement, and you harmed your fellow Lieutenant. For that, I'm sending you back to your _original_ Commander."

"Thank god," I hear the Cheetah-man mutter. I think over the whole fight, remembering seeing a lot of Six Powers being thrown around.

 _Firstly, I need to learn those,_ I think, _Secondly, how do the_ Whitebeards _know them? I thought they were supposed to be secret? Questions for later._

I look back at the carnage, and Whitebeard is just wrapping up. "But nevermind all that," the Captain rumbles, "You're all my sons and daughters, so I can't truly harm you-"

Both Curiel and Thatch practically sag in relief, almost collapsing on the floor.

"-but that doesn't mean I can't ask Marco to do it for me," yep, there's the horrified look I was expecting.

" _NOOOOOOOOOO!_ " the two Commanders screech as pineapple steps out of the shadows like something from a goddamn horror movie.

"Hey you two," Marco smirks, "Who's ready to get their asses kicked?"

" _You'll never take me alive!_ " Thatch yells as he charges the First Commander, pulling out his blade, which was still filled from the training battle, " _Piercing Decibel!_ " he makes to jab at his fellow Commander-

" _Blazing Shield_."

-but his attack bounces off when, with a wave of his hand, Marco forms a sphere of blue and yellow flame around him. "You'll have to do better than _that_ , Thatch."

"My son, put the weapon down," Whitebeard sighs, exasperated, "You're just going to hurt yourself more."

"I-" Thatch starts, but he's cut off when a noise of _purupurupurupuru_ comes from within his white shirt, "What the-? Hello?" he asks into a baby transponder snail he pulls out of his shirt pocket.

" _Thatch, you're_ late," a high-pitched - and _quite_ irked - tenor comes through in response, and Thatch _instantly_ breaks out into a cold sweat.

"I am _so_ sorry Haruta, I'll be with you as fast as I can get there," the pompadour grins shakily and hangs up, turning to Pops, "Ah, could I maybe go fix that? You know how the squirt gets…"

Whitebeard stares his son down, eyes piercing into his very soul. "Go," Thatch pumps his arm in celebration, but that's short lived, "But you must take that dulled blade as your _extra_ punishment."

The Fourth Commander's grin turns into a grimace as he realizes what that means. "Great…" he groans as he walks out of the room.

I see Levi watch Thatch go, and he follows him out. "Where's he going?" I ask Leon as my eyes follow the black haired swordsman out.

"To watch Thatch, of course!" comes the response, "Well, with him, it's probably jealousy, but you would find it pretty cool I think."

I'm about to make a comment, but a pained scream from Curiel stops me before I can start. " _Ohgodno_!"

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this is our cue to leave," I tell Leon, and the orange haired Sergeant nods in agreement, followed by the rest of our Company. With that, we left Curiel to his fate.

=(I)=

" _Whirlwind!_ " a short, brown-haired swordsman wearing a frilly Shakespearean-era tunic spins like a top as he crashes into the dulled blade of Fourth Division Commander Thatch.

"Great job, Haruta!" the pompadour grins as he pushes the youngster back, "We may just make a Division Commander out of you yet!"

" _Commander?_ " the - still quite young - _future_ Division Commander pants, already sweating, "I'm gonna be the _Captain_ when Whitebeard kicks the bucke-"

" _Spotlight!_ " Thatch points the tip of his blade at the novice, and a glint of light sends a beam hurtling towards him.

" _Gah!_ " Haruta grunts as the beam strikes him in the eyes, blinding him and leaving him squirming on the ground. The Fourth Commander's expression was now much, _much_ more serious.

"That was out of line to say, Haruta," he growls, and the youngster instantly freezes in fear, "You had better hope that Pops stays alive for a good while longer, because the only thing keeping me from tearing you apart for that comment is him."

 _Holy shit_ … I gulp as I watch from near the doorway with Leon and Levi, the latter of which is watching the Commander and his protégé duke it out with a hungry expression, _Remind me to never piss of Thatch_. With that thought, I return my attention to the two swordsmen.

" _We're done for today_ ," Thatch sighs as he sheaths his sword with a _click_ , "Work on your discipline," Meanwhile, young Haruta - well, young from a third party perspective, as he was one year older than me from what Leon had described - was still shivering on the ground from the terrifying experience he just had.

"What… was that?" I ask Leon as Levi goes to help his fellow blade wielder up.

The Sergeant shrugs as he answers. "Thatch and the other old timers tend to get sour whenever anyone mentions the possibility of Pops dying," he knocks on the wooden wall behind us, "Same whenever anyone jokes about us scuttling the old girl. They've been with the crew long enough that this is the only place they have left."

I run the phrasing through my mind, and find something confusing - he said it's the only place _they_ have left. "Isn't this ship also your only home?" I ask him, trying to clarify his strange answer, "Thatch said you were married, but is there anywhere else?"

"Actually, yes!" Leon grins, and pulls a slip of paper out of his pocket. A closer look reveals that it's actually a photograph of a beautiful dark blue-haired woman standing with a orange-haired child with freckles covering his face and… Leon, "That woman right there is my wife Violet, and this little clone is my son, Jason. One of the perks to being a Whitebeard is that whatever family you have is placed on an island in the New World that's far enough away from the entrance that only the other Emperors can reach it, but close enough that we can send immediate help if they get attacked."

I stop him by putting my hand in his face. "But, if the other Emperors can reach the island, then aren't they in danger?" I'm stopped in turn when he pins me with a 'are you serious' type of stare.

"Kid, the other big three are strong, but they aren't stupid," he snorts, "In fact, Shanks is a real bro, Big Mom is an excellent hostess whenever the day of Roger's execution rolls off the cutting block, and Kaido doesn't want to piss off Pops too much, so he doesn't try anything."

Unfortunately, I didn't hear that last part, as the mention of Roger's last day catches my attention. "Hold up, you guys have a _party_ -?"

"Oh, also, most crews that make it that far aren't dumb enough to piss off Ol' Whitey, so the island is pretty safe," instead of answering me, the orange-haired gunslinger just goes into a continuation of earlier, "So, in order to protect my family, I joined the crew! Right now, Jason is five and living in the house you see there, while Violet is twenty-seven and is always joyed when my bi-monthly visit rolls around."

Deciding to just go along with it, I sigh in resignation. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-eight and married for six years!" Leon grins, going full-on goddamn _Sanji_ on me, heart-eyes and all. Must be a good husband. Unfortunately, his impersonation of Maes Hughes is cut short when one _very_ pissed off Haruta storms past us.

"Um…" I pipe up after a few moments of confused silence, "I think we should go do something."

"Agreed," we both stand there a bit longer, but Leon breaks the silence, "Hey, you need help with your aim, right?"

"Yeah," I answer, and he grabs my arm.

"Then follow me!" the Sergeant pulls me along, heading for the bunks, "We're gonna go fix that!"

=(I)=

The room was silent as Edward Newgate, Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates sat with his adopted son and second-in-command Marco 'The Phoenix'. The gargantuan glaive-wielder closes his eyes as he brings an equally large sake cup to his lips and drains the entire thing in one gulp. "So," he mutters to a transponder snail situated in front of him, colored a dusty blue and sporting stretched eyes, with red slits on the side, "From what we've heard here, someone attacked the island and slaughtered multiple inhabitants. Is it true?"

" _Unfortunately, the information is accurate_ ," a slightly graveled voice comes through, and the giant's jaw strains at the thought of someone attacking his territory, " _I talked with the Captain of the Sun Pirates, Jinbe, and he said the incident was caused by a Devil Fruit user_."

"A Devil Fruit, eh?" Whitebeard scratches his mustache - that's what it is, it isn't a beard - and Marco narrows his eyes.

"What kind of Fruit?" the pineapple questions the voice.

" _From what he told me, he fought the guy, but couldn't completely figure out his power before he ran_ ," comes the reply, " _Apparently, the man was a complete stick, but the moment he touched one of Jinbe's crew, the Fishman shriveled into scales and bone. Unfortunately, the guy used some other thing, but Jinbe doesn't know what it is._ "

"Seems like he figured out the ability to me," Marco huffs, but the veins on Newgate's temples start to bulge as far too much blood flows through them.

" _Marco!_ " he barks, and said Zoan jumps in shock, "People we were meant to protect have fallen, so we have failed. This is no time for your jokes."

Marco sighs in resignation. "Yes Pops, sorry Pops."

"Now, Eighth Division Lieutenant Namur," the titan turns back to the snail, "We will send three Division Commanders with men of their choice to your location in order to prevent any more problems. Understood?"

" _Got it, Pops_ ," the shark Fishman grunts before cutting the line with a _click_.

"Three _Commanders?!_ " Marco hisses the moment the line goes dead, "That is a _complete_ waste of resources! Why would you do… that…" he stops as he sees his Captain's expression, which is one of disturbed thoughtfulness.

"Marco," he rumbles gravely, "Contact Jozu, Thatch, and Vista. I have a feeling that we need our best on this one."

"How bad is the feeling?" Marco glances at his adopted father, who is clenching his jaw in suppressed rage.

The giant lets it all go with a sigh, but he was still tense. _Someone attacks an island that I claimed as my territory, simultaneously attacks the Sun Pirates, and survives a battle with Jinbe on the Fishman home turf._ "Terrible, my son. Terrible."

 **AN: And that's the chapter! Once more, sorry for the length, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting for much longer. Next week, however, you'll have the beginning of the first arc, and the story will have finally kicked off from my - admittedly - slow-paced storytelling.**

 **PS: Any and all suggestions for story** _ **will**_ **be taken into account, as my way of writing is often sporadic and choppy, so any ideas** _ **are**_ **appreciated. See ya!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

AN: hey y'all! I'm back again with another chapter and the beginning of The Ocean Is Calling's first story arc! I know this starter was short, but I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 9

"Alright, so, you're going to want to keep breathing calmly, so that you don't throw off your aim," Leon tells me as I grasp the stock of my Winchester 1895 .40 caliber rifle, lining my sights up with the center of the target, following his every instruction, "Now, you need to keep a firm grip on-"

"Firm grip on the stock," I cut him off, "I've shot before. I told you this," I grunt, somewhat frustrated by my tendency to hit the outside of the target. Every time I'd gone to fire, someone in the training room would do something that threw me off.

"Hey, I'm not the one who's been missing the target those twenty times, remember?" my temporary 'mentor' snaps back with just as much snark, "Just follow the instructions and shoot the target."

"Well, you're not helping by breaking my concentration," my eye twitches, and I hold my breath, getting ready to fire…

"Sup, fuckers!"

Bang!

"Fuck!" I scream as Levi suddenly bursts into the room, and reflexively pull the trigger, with the projectile tearing into the dead center of the target… that was next to the one I was aiming at.

Leon and I both stare at the target for a second, before Leon pipes up. "Well, at least you got a bullseye," he cracks a quip, and I give him a dead look.

"Fuck you," I grump at him, even more annoyed now.

"Are you two done?" Levi raises an eyebrow at our antics, and we glare at him.

"Never," comes our unison response.

"Hello?" Johnson's voice comes from through the shooting range doorway, "Mister purple-eye, did you get shoot-shoot man and pointy-bullet man?" the moron asks, popping only his head through the doorway, "Because red lady is getting angry."

"Levi!" Karen - who else could it be? - screams through the doorway, "Hurry up and get your ass out here, you perverted fuck!"

"Up yours!" comes the response, followed by a birdy she wouldn't have seen… if she didn't just barge through the door, slamming Johnson into the wall.

"I can't feel my torso," the blue-haired Sergeant mumbles through the wood, but no one really paid him as much attention as we gave the pure demon that was standing in the doorway.

"What did you just say, Levi?" Karen growls, and the swordsman instantly flees with a cry of Shave, but is instantly pursued by the object of his terror.

"Ah, Johnson?" Leon asks to his fellow Sergeant, who is still stuck in the wall, "Need any help?"

"Yes," the reply is muffled, but it works well enough, so Leon and I yank him out. I didn't do much of the lifting, though.

"So, mind telling us why you guys came to get us?" I ask after a few moments.

"Yes, Thatch said we need to decide who is going to be electrocuted," the idiot stares me down, but I don't believe any of it.

Why would any of us be shocked? I wonder, but Leon just nods, being able to actually somewhat understand it.

"Lemme guess," the Sergeant says, "His exact words were 'decide who's in charge', right?"

"Yes. How did you know?" Johnson questions, "Can you read my mind? What am I thinking right now?" he whispers that last part.

"I can't read minds," Leon deadpans, "But that would be awesome to do."

"Well, I think we should see what Thatch wants," I say, "So I say we follow Karen and Levi."

"I'd suppose," Leon sighs, before gesturing to the door, "Shall we?"

I grin, before responding. "We shall."

=(I)=

"So, is everyone on the same page?" I hear Marco say as Leon, Johnson and I walk into the room, and he's met with a chorus of 'yes's.

"Oh, hey there guys!" Thatch grins as he notices us, but his smile turns to a frown as his eyes land on me, "Why is Kelly here?"

"I brought him," Leon responds, "Thought it would make him feel included."

"I'm not a child," I grumble, but am ignored.

"It isn't his place to be here," Marco grunts, annoyed, but Vista steps in front of him, bowing to us.

"Don't mind Marco," the gentleman assures us, "He's just annoyed that he doesn't get to travel to Fishman Island-"

"Zip it," Jozu cuts off the swordsman with an elbow to the ribs, "We aren't going for fun. It's a mission."

"A mission?" I perk up at those words, "Cool! Can I come?"

Thatch grabs my arm and starts pulling me towards the door. "Nope. Sorry. Any other time, maybe, but not this one."

I start to panic, my sense of adventure kicking in. A trip to Fishman Island might not come for a few years! I think as I struggle, I need to take this chance! What did they call that rule where I get special privileges for a week again?

"Sorry 'bout this, but you can't go," Thatch is almost at the door, "So just forget about it, yeah?"

"Wait!" I tell as he tosses me out and slams the door in my face, "I call the one week rule!"

I could hear the room go instantly silent, and I hear a muffled 'shit' coming from Thatch. "Hello?" I begin to call, but the door is yanked open once more and I'm pulled back inside.

"Fuckin dumbass shitbag on one of Pops' bad days," my Division Commander grumbles as he drags me to a chair, "Sit here, don't do anything, and shut up," he growls, and I comply.

"So, who wants to do the honors?" Jozu rumbles, and the others stare at him, expecting him to tell me, "Of course…" the Diamond-Man shambles over to me, and begins, "Look, kid, this mission is extremely important to Pops, so to get you off, I'll give you the rundown. A few days ago, a Devil Fruit user attacked the underwater Fishman Island, which is an island under our protection. The man's fruit allowed him to suck out the insides of the Fishmen and Mermaids he ran into or something. Our job is to go and make an example of this guy, to show people that if they play with fire, they get burned."

The explanation slightly confuses me. Why do many Division Commanders? And I'm about to voice my thoughts-

"Well, squirt, are ya familiar with the Captain of the Sun Pirates and Warlord of the Sea, Jinbe?" Jozu says, and I blink in surprise. Did my face say it all? "Well, let's just say that from what we heard, this attacker guy fought Jinbe, and the Warlord had to get away from him so he wouldn't lose his insides. Now, let's just say that Jinbe is as strong as one of our Division Commanders, which would mean that one of us wouldn't stand a chance alone. What do ya do then?"

"You send as many available forces to take this guy out," I mutter as the situation dawns on me.

"'Xactly," Jozu nods, "That's what's going on now, and you coming along with us could get you - who is weaker than our basic footman - killed. Understand now why we can't have you tagging along?"

Despite the logic, I still really wanted to go to Fishman Island. "But I'll be with three Division Commanders," I retort, "I'll be fine!"

"You can't expend any of us to protect you when we're focusing on a bigger threat!" Thatch cuts in, visually irked, "And we can't have you in the way!"

"Then just have one of the Lieutenants come along or something!" I yell, but Vista holds me back.

"We are bringing two of Thatch's Lieutenants along, lad," the gentleman explains further, and it's then that I notice Raver standing in the shadows in hybrid form, filing his claws. Across from him was the Future Twelfth Division Commander, Haruta.

But the comment about only bringing the Fourth Division's forces catches my attention. "What about your guys' Lieutenants?" I ask Vista and Jozu, who glance at each other.

"Our Lieutenants are currently busy suppressing an attack with the seventh and sixth divisions," Vista reasons, "We stayed back in case we were needed elsewhere."

"Wait," Leon says - I'll be honest, I forgot that the Sergeants were here, "What about us? We could tag along and keep Kelly out of trouble."

"Hahah," Thatch chuckles morbidly, "No offense, Leon, but this is miles above your pay grade," that comment caused Karen's eye to twitch in fury, but everyone just ignored it, "And besides, I need you four here, keeping the Division in order."

"Thatch, Marco, Jozu," Vista comments, "May I have a word?" the Commanders go just out of earshot and start talking, what about, I have no idea.

=(Out of Earshot)=

"What is it, Vista?" Marco grunts as he glances back at Kelly, annoyed at the kid's persistence.

"I believe it is obvious that young Kelly refuses to take no for an answer," the sophisticated swordsman sums up the situation, "Therefore, in order to please all parties, I propose that we allow him to follow us."

The other three nearly choke on their own spit, and Thatch is nearly apoplectic. "Are you crazy?!" the pompadour hisses, "He could get killed! I don't want that on my conscious!"

"I agree with Thatch," Jozu grunts, "The kid's a liability, he'd just slow us down."

"No," Marco waves the diamond-man off, obviously getting what Vista was saying, "Vista is right. The brat isn't going to give in, so we have to find someone to protect him. Either that, or someone so frightening and annoying that he won't want to come with you three."

Vista furrows his brow. "That isn't what I-"

"I'm on board with Marco," Jozu nods.

"You don't really-"

"Sounds good to me," Thatch shrugs.

"Oh no," Vista sighs as the three stride back to the 'doomed' rookie.

=(Outside)=

This is shaping up to be my kinda day, Marshall D. Teach grins as he presses his ear up against the door, suppressing his presence to those inside, I get the first cherry pie at lunch, and now I get the chance to turn that rookie to be one of my sympathizers! Lucky me.

"Alright, Kelly," that overconfident First Commander drones on from the other side, "We're letting you come with these three."

"Really?" Blackbeard's target exclaims hopefully, but Teach has already overheard the earlier conversation about a freakish substitute.

"Yes, but we decided that you need a bodyguard, so we're going to go look for someone to, ah, fit the bill," Thatch snickers, and Marshall could feel the hopes of his 'little bro' immediately fall apart, "So, let's get going, so we can find your protector."

They're coming out, Teach smirks as he hears footsteps coming closer, but they stop when the voice of one of the Sergeants - Leon, he thinks? - sounds out.

"Wait, who's in charge while you guys are gone?" the gunman asks, and a rustle of cloth tells Teach that Thatch waved him off.

"Raver," the footsteps resume, and Blackbeard steps back as the door opens, and the pirate comes face to face with a brown pompadour, "Now, who are we gonna-" the Commander cuts himself off as he catches sight of the black-bearded menace, "Oh! Teach!" he exclaims as he glances at Marco, who grins back maniacally, to which the young Kelly, who Thatch is practically dragging, pales.

"Just the man we were looking for!"

AN: Sorry that the ending was so abrupt, but I don't have time the rest of the week to write, as I have a lot of social events planned. Anyways, see you next time!


	10. Chapter 10: The Beast

Chapter 10

 **AN: Hey, everyone! I wasn't expecting the positive reception of Teach into the story, and a lot of people are quite excited! Now, let's dive in!**

Chapter 10

 _Oh god_ , my heart starts pounding as the gargantuan known as Marshall D. Teach grins at me, the gesture having underlying tones of sinister intent, _I'm screwed, I'm screwed, I'm_ -

"So, Kelly," Thatch smirks as he jostles my shoulder, "You still want to go to Fishman Island?"

 _Fishman Island, right_ , I remind myself as I straighten my back, _Just tough it out, it'll be worth it in the end_. "H-hell yeah I do, Thatch."

"Alright, then," Marco frowns slightly, "Teech, he's all yours."

Blackbeard smiles, pleasantly this time, and laughs as he sweeps an arm around my shoulders. "It'll be a right ol' time, little bro!" I grimace slightly at the smell, but it wasn't nearly as bad as when I met him earlier.

" _Hehe_ , yeah," I groan as his arm squeezes my lungs, nearly crushing them, "A right old time."

"When are we leavin', Marco?" my - ugh - 'caretaker' asks as he ruffles my hair.

" _You all_ ," he points to the seven that were going - Thatch, Jozu, Vista, Teach, Raver, Haruta and I, "Are leaving right away. Lieutenant Namur of the Eighth Division is waiting for your backup, so you'll want to get there as fast as possible," he rubs his chin in thought, "Do any of you know how to operate a ship by yourselves?"

"What kind of question is that!?" Raver scoffs, "One of the Division Commanders should know, right?"

"Actually…" Jozu begins.

Raver just stares at the diamond-man. "You're kidding, right?"

"Hey, we just fight people, we don't actually control our ships," comes the heavyweight's retort.

"On the contrary, shouldn't one of _you_ fellows know?" Vista asks the two Lieutenants, "It is imperative that you all learn how to navigate, as you often must go on missions alone, yes?"

"Hey, those are small sailboats, not Division ships like what we're taking right now," Haruta interjects, "And besides, I got her a few months ago, and never once took one of those ships!"

"It's usually done by some lower mooks,"Teach adds, "So I personally never navigate or anythin' like that."

"Do we know anyone who knows how?" I ask, and Thatch perks up.

"Dexter does!" the Commander grins, "And he's strong enough to hold his own in a fight, so we could use his Devil Fruit too!"

"Wait, Dexter?" Haruta questions, confused, "Do you mean Washer?"

"Same guy, different name," Jozu grunts.

"Are you sure that he can navigate?" Marco asks Thatch, and the pompadour grins.

"Positive. Now let's go get him."

=(I)=

"No, absolutely not!" Maria, the nurse that treated me for my sunburns, stands in front of the bed that Wash is lying in, "You idiots already have him a concussion, and now you're asking him to go on some crazy adventure!"

"Maria, this isn't the time for this," Thatch growls, quite actually enraged, "Fishman Island is under attack, and we won't get there without him!"

"And _he_ won't get to _Normality_ Island if you keep piling up the injuries!" Maria barks back, and the two are face to face, albeit the nurse being slightly shorter.

 _I wonder how this is going to turn out_? I think as I watch the scene.

"These are Pops' orders!" the pompadour waves the threat of enraging our adopted patriarch over her head, " _So just follow_ _them_!"

The brunette breathes in deeply, and it seems like she's gonna give in, but she suddenly reaches up, grasps both sides of Thatch's head, and slams their lips together for five seconds. Personally, I look away, and when the kiss ends, Thatch falls to the floor, hearts in his eyes, mumbling something about never getting _that_ response before. "Oh, and Thatch? How's 'no' for an answer?" Maria smirks as she wipes her face with an arm, and the Commander just gurgles incoherently, "That argument was _way_ too easy to win."

"Well, as entertaining as that was, we have to get going," Jozu pushes past the nurse and taps the sleeping Washer on the shoulder, but the Lieutenant doesn't stir, "Wake up," the Commander grunts, But again, no response.

"I put him under sedative, so he doesn't wake up in case of a storm," Maria crosses her arms, "He's not waking back up for a while."

"Geez, it's just a concussion," Raver scoffs, "he doesn't need…" he trails off as Maria sticks an X-ray in front of his face, which shows the back of a skull with spiderweb cracks in it, "What the fuck is this?" the Zoan asks after a while.

" _This_ ," Maria scowls, "Is what _you_ did to him after your little brawl."

"Bullshit!" Raver growls indignantly, "I hit him in the _front_ of the head."

"And knocked his head back against the floor, making it so that high levels of stress could cause blood to flood the area," the nurse pushes the Cheetah-Man away, and crosses her arms, "So, to re-iterate, Dexter will _not_ be joining you, even if it _is_ just to navigate your ship."

"Oh, he's stronger than that," Haruta tries to add onto the argument, but a glare from Maria stops him in his tracks.

"He hasn't healed enough to be able to-"

"I'm going, Maria," a calm baritone sounds from the medical bed, and everyone freezes. I look, and Wash's eyes are open, if not flicking around to each of us, "Hey everyone, sorry I lost to the cat."

"Up yours," Raver scoffs as he flips the bird.

The nurse, however, is shocked. "I gave you an anesthetic! You should be asleep!" she blanches, and I run that through my head.

 _An anisthetic_? I wonder, _How_ is _he awake_?

"Miss," Washer grunts as he forces himself into an upright position, "You're forgetting the two words that defy logic on these seas - Devil, and Fruit."

 _That explains it… wait, wasn't his power bubbles_?

"So, you know how to navigate, right?" Jozu asks the wounded Lieutenant as said Lieutenant rubs the back of his head.

"I do," Wash replies, "When are we leaving?"

That was Maria's last straw. " _NO_!" the nurse screams, and she slams a foot down, figuratively and literally, "You are not going _anywhere_ without proper medical attention!"

"Then join our merry band," the smooth voice of Vista brings a point to the table, and Maria freezes, "If you come with us, then we _both_ get what we want. Dexter doesn't need to be fighting, only navigating, so he won't be in danger."

"That… could work…" Marco rubs his chin, "You could give him daily checkups, and he could direct us all the same."

"It's the best course of action," Wash muses, and I try to cash in my thoughts.

"The more, the merrier!" I grin, and all of the others that _weren't_ in love-comatose immediately snap their heads to look at me.

" _You still shouldn't be here_ ," comes the unanimous scolding, and I just grin timidly as I step back, both hands raised like I was under arrest.

"Aaaanyways," Wash coughs, "What ship are we taking?"

"I never said that I would go!" Maria growls, but is ignored.

"Vista's," Jozu responds to the Lieutenant, and Marco nods in approval.

"Well," the pineapple grins, "You should all get going! You have a long few days ahead."

=(I)=

 _This is boring as fu-u-uck_ , I grit my teeth as I stare at the same expanse of ocean that I have been for the past two hours. See, after we had visited Wash in the medical bay, we had instantly boarded the ship of the Fifth Division, the _Beluga_ , and cast off, trying to get to our destination as fast as possible. I… got stuck up in the crow's nest, and Thatch hasn't let me down yet.

Now, the first hour or so was fairly interesting, watching them all mill about the deck like so many ants, Wash teaching them each how to operate specific parts of the rigging and whatnot. I had offered my help, due to the fact that my grandpa taught me some things about sailboats, but I had been ultimately denied, being instead stuck on lookout.

The ship itself, despite being around one sixteenth of the _Moby Dick_ 's size, was still quite large, seeing as it is able to house one hundred people, but Wash's expertise as a former first mate was well-founded, as he commanded the ship with all the skill of an old British Admiral. It had three sails, and it was shaped the same as the Moby, but the coloring was more grayish than white, staying true to its namesake. It had a training room that Haruta made a beeline for the moment we arrived, a mess hall, crew's quarters, and Vista's own private quarters, along with a map room. Overall, it was a beautiful ship…

 _But I'm stuck at the top_ , I sigh as I glance once more at the cresting waves, their beauty long lost on my boredom. Thankfully, my saving grace came in the form of a song that was long ingrained into my memory, one that was connected to my most grievous memory - the burial of my grandfather. It was a beautiful song, an old Celtic tune, mainly used for farewells, but it had grow on me. With the phantoms of wooden weight and snow crunching beneath dress shoes, I began to sing.

" _Oh, Danny boy_ ," I'm lost to my memory as I am taken back to that time…

" _The pipes, the pipes are calling_ ," I remember myself, my brother, and two of grandpa's friends gathered…

" _From glen to glen, and down the mountainside_ ," I can see the hearse, black and foreboding, and I know what is inside…

" _The summer's gone, and all the roses falling_ ," I take my position, the front left, and lift…

" _It's you, it's you, must go while I must bide_ ," all I feel is the weight on my shoulder, the snow falling on my hair, cold and wet, and the pain…

" _But come ye back, when summer's in the meadow_ ," the pain, that which is crushing in its nature, bringing forth memories that _burn_ themselves into your mind…

" _Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow_ ," the tears, hot and fat, roll down my face, and one glance tells me that Nate, my brother, is doing the same…

" _It's I'll be here, in sunshine or in shadow_ ," we make it to the end, and I feel as if I cannot go another foot, the pressure in my chest too great, almost bursting, and we position his body over the square hole, ready to say our final goodbye…

" _Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so_ ," and my heart finally shatters as the steel box that will hold the flesh of the greatest man I had ever known slams closed, holding him in its cold embrace for eternity.

I am brought out of my memory with the sound of rolling waves and the creaking of wood. I can feel my chest aching from the re-opened scars, and tears fall freely down my cheeks, which I quickly wipe away with a sniffle. _It wasn't fair, he never deserved it_ , my eyes well up once more, but a sudden and loud _creak_ behind me snaps me out of my self-induced hysteria, causing me to snap around to see Raver's head sticking out of the hatch on the floor of the crow's nest, his face wearing an expression of surprise.

"Wow, kid," the black-haired yellow-eyed Cheetah-Man blinks as he breathes out in shock, "I didn't know you could sing."

"Ah, w-well… I…" I sputter, my face heating up, "I didn't mean for anyone to h-hear me, and, well-"

"Hey, you have a talent, that's all I'm saying," the Lieutenant scratches his skull with one lightly tanned arm, "Although, I never _was_ one for the arts, so take my compliment with some salt. Either way, Thatch told me that you need to learn some shit, so he sent me up here to help you start off."

"Wait, like, he wants you to train me?" I ask, getting real hopeful. _Imma be strong now_! I grin.

" _That's what I said_ ," the Zoan mutters under his breath, "But, yeah, he wants me to give you the basics so you can train _yourself_."

"Oh," my hopes are somewhat dashed, but still! Go at your own pace, eh?

"So come on," Raver climbs back down, "Let's get this over with."

I full-on smile as I follow him. _This is gonna_ rock!

=(I)=

 _I was wrong_ … I pant as my bare feet clomp along the deck, my lungs screaming for air as sweat burns my eyes. I was on lap twenty-six around the ship, and it was becoming apparent that I was _very_ out of shape.

"Come on," Raver calls from across the deck, sitting on a chair and tanning, "I was able to run _fifty_ miles when I was seven! Step up the pace!"

"You… are a… _Zoan_!" I gasp as I stumble and finally collapse on the wooden planks. Three words: _Shave_ training _sucks_.

"Get up, kiddo," the Cheetah-Man _Shave_ s over in less than a second and yanks me to my feet, "It's either this, _Paper Arts_ , or _Iron Body_ , and those last two involve me punching or throwing stuff at you, and I don't think you want that."

"Ru-unning," I wheeze as I stumble for another lap.

The next few days were extremely repetitive, starting with some morning exercises and breakfast, then a five-hour jog with quick steps thrown in, ending with some basic weight-lifting. I had a few entertaining bits, such as a practice duel between Thatch and Vista, or the time when Teach and Raver fought over what kind of pie was better, but _that_ one was stopped by Maria before someone got hurt. But we only had one storm, and from what I could hear through the padlocked door they stuck me behind, it was a _big_ one. Damn. We did stop by an island to get one of those bubble coatings, so we could _get_ to Fishman Island, but other than that, it was very uneventful.

The trip _into_ the sea was quite interesting, but like the rest of the trip, nothing happened, but I _did_ get a chat in with Wash, and it opened my eyes on Devil Fruits.

"Hey, Wash?" I ask him as we drift deeper through the sea, "Can I ask you about something?"

"Sure, kid, ask away," the Lieutenant was in crutches at Maria's insistence, despite the fact that he could easily walk on his own. She was scary like that.

"Um, when we picked you up back on the _Moby_ , you said that your Devil Fruit allowed you to resist anesthesia, right?" I question, and he nods, "Well, how? I thought your ability was bubbles or something."

"That, yeah," he answers, "You see, I can release bubbles from anywhere on my body. Those bubbles can clean anything, so one day, back when I was Karen's First Mate, I thought 'hey, why don't I release these bubbles _inside_ of myself, then I could cleanse my bloodstream of any drugs and whatnot'. I tried it, and it worked, so I've just always kept the bubbles flowing. They got rid of the anesthesia, so I was awake every moment."

"Oh, that's really creative!" I raise my eyebrows in surprise. It was clever.

"Yeah, well, I've had it for a few years, so I was bound to get smart," Wash shrugs, "Is that all you wanted?"

"Yeah, thanks for that," I grin back, and leave-

"Hey, little bro!"

-before running into Teach, who just appeared out of nowhere. He does that way too often. "Hey, Teach," I try to smile, but I just manage a grimace, "How are you?"

"I'm great, thanks for askin'! _Jiiihahaha_!" he chuckles, "But I, ah, couldn't help but overhear that you're interested in Devil Fruits, yeah?" the sinister tone wasn't there, but I knew his intent was.

"Yeah, I am," I put on a cheery facade, "Why?"

"Well, I just happen to be lookin' for a Devil Fruit myself," the man slings an arm around my shoulders, and _ohgeezhesclose_! "So, maybe, if I help ya get a Fruit of your own, you'll help me find the one I'm lookin' for, eh? Ya like the sound of that?"

"Ah, well, I…" I stammer, trying to buy myself some time. He was really intimidating, okay?

 _Ring! Ring! Ring_! "LAND HO!"

We both hear Haruta call from the crow's nest, and I slip away from the future traitor. "How about we just go look at the island, okay?" I suggest, and get the fuck outta dodge. On the way to the bow, I can feel his eyes piercing my back as the ship drifts towards a giant bubble in the sea.

=(The Fishman District)=

A young Fishman struggled against steel cables that bound his hands and feet together. He had already watched in horror as two of his friends were sucked dry by the _thing_ that had imprisoned them. It had just been a short trip up to the surface to look at the humans' spinning lights, but when they returned home, they found that monster hunched over their father's dried-out husk, munching on his scales like some kind of _animal_. The _thing_ was once human, that the teen was sure of, but it has devolved so far that even the surface monsters would fear it.

The young Fishman glanced to his right, to see the husks of his brothers and mother, their scales and bones the only thing left, as the beast liked to eat those tougher bits, as opposed to just sucking out the flesh and organs with his touch. Bits of his family laid strewn about, and the youngster feared the moment when the creature returned. Every time he came back, he brought another Fishman or Mermaid, and each time, he would eat one of the 'tender' ones. The ones who had accepted their fate.

" _Please, no_ …" the young Fishman turned to the left, seeing the terrified form of a Mermaid equal his own age. She had given up, and the monster _loved_ the taste of fear and despair. It made them sweeter.

 _Slam_.

 _It's back_ the youngster gulped as the beast's ever-growing form splintered the door with one deformed arm. The monster staggered into the small run-down house, slamming into the walls and ceiling. It wore a large suit, one of those Human diving ones, and nothing was visible other than the thick leather and steel oxygen tanks. At the fingers, small spikes were beginning to replace the fingertips - his father's claws, and he could see its deformed mouth - his brother's teeth, and his mother's glowing yellow eyes. Upon seeing the beast, the Mermaid began to squirm with terror, screaming against a gag that covered both her mouth and the Fishman next to her.

The beast wheezed as it tossed a new victim, an adult Merman, to the floor and shackled him in seastone cuffs. The wheezing was horrible, a death rattle that allowed for no absence of fear, and it was constant. Once it finished with the Merman, it turned its attention to the two adolescents.

" _Please, no_ …" the Mermaid pleaded as the beast approached them, " _Please, ple-AAAAAAUGH_!" the girl screeched in pain as the beast grabbed her tail fin and tore, causing blood to pour from the wound, " _AAAAAAUGH! N-nooo! Please_!" she screamed as the beast started to pluck scales off of her, and she began to scream anew.

That was the last straw for the young Fishman. Unable to do anything but sit and hear the torturous cries of agony, he curled into a ball until, finally, the screams stopped when out of the corner of his eye, the Fishman saw a massive leather hand wrap around her delicate neck.

" _Please… no_ …" came one last whimper before her skin stretched thin, and that horrible _slurp_ ing sound came as her body was turned to a husk. That horrible _slurp_ , that consumed his family before his eyes, one at a time, until he was left.

 _Sluuuuurp…_

 _Sluuuuurp…_

 _Sluuuuurp..._

 _Crunch._

 **AN: And that's the chapter! I know the ending was very different, but I want to try to capture this guy's terrifying ability, which you all saw. Now, recently, something happened, and I'm not going to be able to write, so you won't be getting another chapter for a bit. I know that it's the beginning of what I feel will be a good arc, but I hope that the next few chapters can make up for that.**

 **PS: I know that so many were excited for Teach, but be patient, he's gonna be very important. Until next time everyone!**


	11. Chapter 11: Fishman Island

Chapter 11

 **AN: New chapter! Let's get into it!**

Chapter 11

-( **Thatch** )-

Fishman Island is beautiful. There is no other way to describe it than that word. Every single building was made of coral, or something like it, and just curled in such a natural way that it never seemed to intrude on the ocean outside the bubble. In layman's terms, it was _pure_.

Perfect.

Peaceful.

 _And too easy a target,_ Fourth Division Commander Thatch scowls as he steps through the bustling streets and floating canals, Fishpeople and Merfolk passing his nine person group. A few of the denizens would occasionally give them a harsh glance - which was understandable with their oppressed past - but it usually left when they saw the symbol stitched on the back of his shirt: the cross of the Whitebeard Pirates.

"This is… interesting…" the tag-along brat comments as he watches a sand-shark Fishman pass, flinching as he sees their claws, "Definitely not what I was expecting."

"Well, what _were_ ya expectin', little bro?" Teach muses from beside him, "This is Fishman _Island,_ yer gonna see some Fishmen."

"Haven't you seen any before, kid?" Jozu grunts as he plods down the street, "They're all over the West Blue, so you shoulda seen some."

"Jozu, they are an equal people to our own," Vista berates, "You musn't refer to them similarly to animals."

"Vista…" Jozu starts, but he stops as he realizes what the gentleman had actually meant, "You've gotta stop saying things so complexly," the diamond-man concludes.

 _Always the smart one, Jozu,_ Thatch shakes his head and turns to Dexter, who was walking next to him, "Hey, you gonna help Raver lose his baggage, or do we have to leave him?"

"*sigh* I'll go help him," Wash rolls his eyes as he falls back to Raver, who is in hybrid form and has at least five young Fishmen children - Childrenfish? Fishchildren? - hanging off of him.

"Kitty!" one of the youngsters grins as he dangles off of Raver's right arm.

"Hey, Wash," the Cheetah-Man waves at his friend as one of the children pulls on his cheeks, stretching them out, "Mind 'elping me?"

"Well," Haruta sneers at the comical sight, "The great predator has been brought down by lowly children. How the mighty have fallen."

"Fuh' you," Raver deadpans as another child grabs his tail and bites down on it, causing his annoyed expression to turn to one of pain, "GAH! _GoddamnlittleshitsletgoofmyfuckinTAIL_!" the Zoan roars as he shakes the kids off. Fortunately, Haruta moves to catch them before they hit the ground.

" _Woah!_ " Wash yells as he releases a string of bubbles, which instantly wrap around Raver's torso, " _Calm down, bud!_ "

" _Rrrgh,"_ the Cheetah-Man grinds his teeth in an ill-concealed attempt to calm himself.

"It's alright," Thatch's protégé hands the children to their parents, and everyone around the group was forming a circle to avoid possible harm.

"Well, that was a scene," Teach snorts as he pulls Kelly along, and that little comment pulls a few strings in the Fourth Commander's head, "I'm gonna go find a bar, try some new cuisine."

 _Does he not have_ any _empathy?_ Thatch rages in his head, but he instead simply turns to the fat bastard. " _Teach_."

"Eh?" comes the response, and a glint of menace is visible in the man's eye.

"...stay out of trouble," the swordsman finishes, and the glint is gone.

"You got it…" Teach smiles, and Thatch's mind screams at him to not let Kelly go with, "Boss."

=( **Kelly** )=

Okay, fist thing I have to say. Raver is weird.

No, seriously, he's weird. You know how Lucci, Kaku, and Jabra were all Zoans, and they all had those abnormally large upper bodies, just like Vista? Well, Raver didn't have that. Instead, he was skinny as all _hell_. Well, I guess that it's because he's a cheetah, but still.

Now that I got _that_ out of the way, I can focus on _another_ enigma. Well, it's more of a problem, but _still_. Y'see, Marshall D. mother _fucking_ Teach just broke a huge rule.

Now, when I was back home, I used to play _Dungeons & Dragons,_ yeah? Well, ya wanna know the _one_ unspoken rule that you must _always_ follow, even when it's just casual play? You must _never_ split the party.

Y'see, when you're in a dungeon with an unknown number of enemies that have an unknown level of strength and an unknown type, you never want to split up. Just like horror movies, you can't separate because the enemy will just pick you off one by one, so you always want to stay as a team.

And you wanna know something? From what I heard of the guy we're hunting, he can suck your bodily fluids dry or something like that, turn you into a husk. So, with that logic in mind, you'd want to stay with the largest amount of people possible, so that you don't get drained, yet Teach just went and gave a big 'fuck you' to all logic and reasoning, opting instead to take _only_ me with him.

I guess he's a 'D' for a reason.

"C'mon, little bro!" the fatso calls back to me as we make our way through the hypnotic streets of living coral, "I just _know_ that there's a bar around here somewhere!"

 _And it's just my luck that 'D's have infectious enthusiasm In everything they do,_ I sigh as I trudge after him, but instantly perk up as two bea- _utiful_ young Mermaids swim past us on the floating canals.

Now, if I'm being honest, seeing Fishmen in person was jarring. See, you never expect their having scales for skin to be so disturbing, and their faces are more fish than Human, which makes it feel like they're abominations. Now, I know that it's not in my place to call them that, but I just didn't feel _safe_ around them, and I feel… guilty. But Mermaids? I felt awkward around them in a different way. Why? Because Mermaids are hot. Like, _smokin'_. And I'm sixteen.

'Nuff said. Did I mention that I despise puberty?

"Little bro? Hellooooo!" Teach snaps me out of my adolescent daydream with a tap on the forehead, "Ya in there?"

"Oh! Yeah, sorry," I rub the back of my neck, embarrassed, "I was just having a daydream."

" _Zehahaha._ We _both_ know what _that_ one was about," Blackbeard chuckles as he nudges my ribs, "You hopin' for some action, eh?"

" _Gah_! No!" I push him back, flustered, "I was just… thinking…"

"Sure ya were," Teach waves his wand as he turns around to continue his search, "Thinkin' about gettin' in the sheets-"

" _TMI!_ " I screech - yes, screech - as I plug my ears, "Please, _stop!_ "

"Ya have no sense of humor, little bro," Teach keeps on walking, the coral buildings casting shadows on the streets, "Ah!" he exclaims as he catches sight of a bar, "There's one!"

"Here we go…" I groan as he pulls me towards the building, and I catch sight of a sign that says 'Fishmen And Merfolk Only'.

"Hey there, sir!" Teach grins widely at the striped Fishman - Zebrafish, I think? - standing in front of the door as a bouncer.

"Sorry, bub," the bouncer's spiked fins bristle threateningly as we walk up, "You see the sign. No Humans allowed," he glances at me, showing razor-sharp teeth, " _Definitely_ no kids."

" _Rgh_ ," I snarl, annoyed at being called that. It doesn't help when I'm 6'1" and he's around 5'8". Then again, Teach is, like, massive, so we're _all_ dwarves.

"Down, little bro," the giant pats my shoulder and turns to the Fishman, who is starting to sweat a bit, "We're with the Whitebeard Pirates," he rolls up his right sleeve, and sure enough, there was a tattoo of a purple cross with a crescent mustache.

 _Wait, was that there before_? I wonder as the Zebrafish Fishman gulps in panic.

"C-come right on in, sir! I didn't know you were on the crew of our hero!" the bouncer hastily pushes us forward into the bar - Teach had to duck - and shouts to everyone inside, "These guys are with Whitebeard! Let 'em through."

Inside, a crowd was just beginning to bustle once more as we wade through, and a few of the patrons hurried over to shake our hands.

"We're all grateful for your decision to save our island!" one said.

"Thank you, sirs!" a group cried.

"You help keep my children safe every day!" another practically sobbed, "Please, is there anything I could do to repay you?"

But, despite what he would become, my gargantuan caretaker just simply nodded politely, humbly turning down any offers for drinks. "Thanks, but we have our own money, there's no need,"

It messed with my head.

As we sat down, I glance around us, looking for any shady characters that could hurt me, but Teach simply shakes my shoulder. "Little bro, no one's here."

 _How does_ he _know that?_ I wonder, slightly suspicious as I remember that he trained his skills in the shadows.

" _Zeeehahaha!_ Well, little bro, it's because I have Observation Haki!" he grins, and I nod in understandi-

 _Did he just answer a question I didn't ask?_

"I can tell yer confused," Teach nods, "I can't actually read yer mind, just guess at what yer thinkin. I'm just good at guessin."

"Wow…" I kinda zone out, knowing he was trying to hook me in to another deal.

"Y'see, little bro?" the titan grins as his seat creaks, "Observation Haki is a _very_ useful tool, and I could 'Teach' ya."

"You can…" I start, but pause. Something about that last bit was off, "Did you just say you could ' _Teach_ ' me?"

" _Zeeehahaha!_ " he chuckles, a booming sound, "That was good, yeah?" when I just stare at him, he coughs and turns to the bartender, a Tuna Fishman, "Hey, do ya have any cherry pies?"

"Sorry, sir, but we don't get many of those down here," he grabs a glass from another patron, who leaves, and begins to polish it, "We got apples, though. That work?"

"Eh," Teach shrugs, "Good 'nuff. Could I get an apple pie and two shots of yer finest whiskey?"

The bartender nods. "Sure thing, Mr…?"

"Teach, call me Teach," the future Yonko waves him off.

"Whiskey? Ain't he a bit too young?" a Fishman next to us asks, gesturing to me, and I agree.

"Yeah, I'm not even twenty-one yet!" I remind Teach, but the titan shakes me off.

"Yer a Whitebeard, remember?" he pats my back, "Ye'll party every day! Might as well learn while yer out here, right?"

I sigh in resignation. "Yeah, I guess-"

"Hey! You can't go in there!" I hear the bouncer from outside yell, and Teach's expression darkens instantly, "Hey! Aren't you listening to me-" he's cut off as his body slams into the bar, knocking him unconscious. I gulp in fear as the sound of heavy leather boots stomp towards the bar, and my heart is pounding as a gloved fist lands on the bar top next to me, splintering the wood, just as I hear the chair next to me creak as someone sat down in it.

 _I shouldn't have left my rifle on the_ Beluga, I try to stay as calm as possible, and I glimpse to the side. What I see terrifies me beyond belief.

So, quick question. Have any of you out there played the _Bioshock_ games? Well, do you know the Big Daddies in that game? You know, the genetically augmented guys that have a drill-arm and wear massive French diving suits, and are super tough?

Well, I'm getting real _Bioshock_ vibes here.

Where do I start? The… 'person' was massive, towering over even Teach, and had to slump over the bar just to fit under the ceiling. Worse, they wore a large French diving suit with bands of steel stitched into the fabric for greater protection. The helmet had a cluster of glass portholes at the front in typical fashion, but the entire thing was rusty and ragged, each movement causing a horrible _creak_ that sent my heart into overdrive. A pair of heavy-duty air tanks were strapped onto his back, and tubes ran from those to the helmet, supplying air. As I took in the sight, their gloves hands reached up, grasped the sides of the helmet, and twisted it, causing air to force its way out with a _hiss_.

"Little bro," I hear Teach mutter, and he pushes me behind him, his expression too serious for how he was always shown, "Stay behind me."

As the helmet comes off the strangers head, I nearly barf at the image I'm greeted with. The person who wore the suit was a man, but he wasn't human. Maybe, one before, but not now. Now, he was a monster.

He had two eye colors, one hazel, one yellow, but both were dead, a blank look clouding their hues. His skin, a green-tinted film with scales embedded all over, was stretched tight over bulging masses under his skin, like tumors, and his hair, a decaying grey, was falling out, with pus and blood leaking from the bald spots, almost as if he had torn the hair out himself. His mouth was nearly swollen shut, only forcing wide enough to allow air in and out. It was horrifying.

"Hey, bud," Teach taps the… thing on the shoulder, but it doesn't move, "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

" _ **A**_ _l_ e," the thing croaks, and his voice is accompanied by others that weren't his own, and I finally notice his teeth. They were yellowed, but sharp, like a Fishman's, and claws were poking out of the suits gloves, but his skin had been melted so that it fused with the suit. I could just barely see it, but fins were just starting to grow out of his back, and webbing was fused to his hands.

"I'm… sorry, sir?" the bartender backs away, but the creature crushes his wrist.

" _ **N**_ o _w_ ," it moans again, but the bartender shakes his head.

"D-do you have any money?" the Fishman stammers, but he winces as the grip tightens, "Sir, I can't-"

 _Sluuuurp._

A horrible sound makes its way to my ears, and I can see Teach tensing even more than before, and the glimpse I catch of the bartender sends a chill down my spine.

He was just skin and bones now.

" _Zehaha._ Well, little bro…" my titan of a caretaker sneers, his voice wavering _slightly_ in fear, "I think we found the person responsible for us bein' sent here."

=( **Elsewhere** )=

"Hey there, Namur," Raver smirks at the Fishman Lieutenant, "Long time, no see."

"Yeah, it has been," the future Eighth Division Commander scratches the back of his neck lazily, "What's your Devil Fruit ability again?"

"I can turn into a cheetah," his yellow-haired counterpart picks at a scab on his wrist.

"Neat," the Fishman replies, and Haruta stares at the two, confusion on his face.

"Aren't you guys, like, big-time rivals?" the swordsman asks, and the pair just shrugs.

"I guess," they reply, shrugging. Raver pops out a cigarette, sticking it in his mouth and lighting it.

"So, Jinbe," a few feet away, Fourth Commander Thatch, along with Vista, Jozu and Washer were asking the Warlord a few questions. Thatch was up currently, "Do you have any information on this guy that we could use? Like, anything about his Devil Fruit, or maybe his whereabouts?"

"I have nothing that is instantly relevant, but if I gain any knowledge, I'll let you know," the Whale Shark Fishman replies while directing a few members of his crew in the reconstruction of an apartment complex, "I've been preoccupied with a string of disappearances all over the island, so I can't investigate at the moment."

"You must know _something_ ," Vista urges, "Such as your battle with the enemy. What was it like? What was his appearance?"

" _Hrm,_ " Jinbe huffs, gesturing for his crew to continue without him, "Where to start? I didn't get a good look at his face, but I can give you a general description. He wore a large diving suit, leather, and he was able to fight underwater in the Fishman District."

"Wait, this far down?" Washer narrows his eyes, "The pressure alone would crush his bones! Only coated ships and bubbles can work this far down."

"I believed it to be strange, too," the Warlord scratches his chin in thought, "But he was able to survive, and strangely, it appeared as if the support was coming from the inside of his suit. But the way we found him… My crew saw his face, and they said he was thin, like he was starved, but he put on the helmet when he fled."

"How tough's the guy?" Jozu wonders, getting down to business, "Also, how tall? I wanna know how high I gotta hit."

"When I fought him, he was significantly shorter than you, but as the fight went on, he kept grabbing my crewmates and turning them to skin and bones. By the end, he was close to fifteen feet tall, and nearly twice as powerful."

"Strange…" Thatch grinds his teeth, then turns to Raver, "Raver! I want you to go find Teach and Kelly. We need to get them back here, now."

"Thatch?" Vista inquires, "Why do we want them here?"

"I underestimated this guy," Thatch snarls, "If that Devil Fruit does what I think it does, Teach would be a huge target, what with his mass and all," his gentlemanly friend pales as he realizes what could happen.

"Yeah," Wash muses, "Teach has way too much stuff in him. If he were to get attacked by that guy, it would be a problem."

"That, and the fact that Pops would kill us if anything happened to the brat," Jozu grunts.

"So I guess what we're trying to say," Thatch twitches at Raver, "Get moving, or get got."

"Got it!" Raver gulps, morphing into full Cheetah form and dashing to the nearest street…

 _Fwump_ /" _Gah_!"

...Only to run into the panicking form of Ian Kelly, who instantly falls to the ground.

"What the- _Kelly_?" Thatch gawks at the scene in front of him, and realizes that Teach isn't with him, "Why are you here!? Where is Teach!?"

The only reply that the Commander got was his honey-blonde subordinate scrambling up and sprinting over to his group, pushing Raver out of the way in the process. " _MONSTEEER!_ " the kid screams as he ducks behind Jozu.

"Monster?" Raver mutters, " _What_ monster-?" _Fwump!_ but the Zoan is unable to finish, seeing as Teach flew through a building and collided with him, sending them both careening into - wait for it - _another_ wall.

" _Meep,_ " Kelly speaks as they all take in the strange sight.

Thatch snaps his attention to the kid and just asks a single question. " _What the fuck was that!?_ "

" _R_ _ **r**_ **r** a _a_ _ **u**_ **g** h!" a roar echoes through the square, seemingly answering Thatch's question as a massive _thing_ wearing a diving suit _smashes_ through the remains of the building that Teach was sent through. The creature looked slightly battered, with one of its air tanks having a puncture, and the fact that one of its arms didn't have a sleeve, but no actual harm was visible. Only a discolored arm with massive, razor-sharp claws of bone sticking out. Honestly, only one word could _ever_ sum up a situation like this.

 _Shit_.

 **AN: See ya next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12: The Lieutienant's Plan

Chapter 12

 **AN: Hey everyone! I'm back with another chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 12

 _Crapohcrapohcrapohcrap!_ I gulp as the beast tosses Teach through the wall of an apartment complex, sending Raver along with him. " _Meep,_ " I put a voice to my fear as I hide behind Jozu.

" _What the fuck was that!?_ " Thatch screams at me, but I don't respond as the thing in the diving suit roars.

"That's him," a gruff voice say, and out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of the Warlord, Jinbe - I'll have to fanboy _later_ \- as he tenses, preparing to fight, "That's the man who attacked our island."

"Well…" Jozu huffs, "You were right about him being tall…"

"It can't even be called human…" Vista cringes, "It's an amalgamation. A monster."

"And it just attacked two of our crewmates," Namur snarls.

"Dex," Thatch gestures at Washer, "I want you to get Teach and Raver. Raver for the fight, Teach so that he can get back to the ship," he turns to me once more, "I want you to go back to the ship and _stay there_ , understand?"

I nod, too scared to talk back in any fashion. "Y-yeah, I can do that."

"Good," my Commander grins, "And don't worry about us, we'll be fine," he turns, placing a hand on the hilt of his weapon, "Now, _go_."

Without so much as a second glance, I run for my life as my crewmates charge the beast.

=( **Teach** )=

 _That was either the worst hit I've taken or the worst hangover, I can't decide_ , Marshall D. Teach groans as he pushes himself up. His white shirt was torn from all the buildings he had flown through, and his head was aching like a _bitch_. Fortunately, though, the rubble he had landed on _this_ time was rather comfortable… and fuzzy… and squirming…

" _Get off me ya fat bastard!_ " Raver roars from underneath him, " _Your stench is just making it worse!_ "

"Oh!" Teach heaves himself off of the Zoan, who was now in his hybrid form, "Sorry, I didn't feel ya there!"

" _Rose Round Dance!_ " the voice of Flower Sword Vista reaches the titan's ears, and he turns-

" _Gack!_ "

-only to have to dodge a salvo of razor-sharp petals as they cut the remains of the wall into pebbles.

" _Watch where you're aimin'!_ " Teach turns and roars, " _We almost got…_ killed… here…?" he trails off as he takes in the sight before him.

The beast he had been fighting before was now in a death battle between it, a Warlord, two Lieutenants, and three Division Commanders. Teach ducks as a beam of light flashes over his head, burning a hole in the coral above him.

 _I think I've overstayed my welcome_ , Teach gulps as he sees that annoyingly strategic Grey-haired Lieutenant jog over to him.

"Teach," the Bubble-Man starts, "Thatch told me to get you and head back to the ship."

"Is the kid safe?" Teach asks, and Wash nods.

"What about me?" Raver asks, and his fellow Lieutenant jerks his thumb at the monster.

"Get going," Wash deadpans, and Raver grins ferally, morphing into his hybrid form and dashing into the battle. Wash turns back to Teach, "You and I… are leaving."

Teach grins. "Wouldn't want it any other way."

=( **Thatch** )=

" _Disco Fever!_ " Thatch cries as a beam of white-hot light burns through the beast's suit, charring the skin underneath. Just another successful hit on a target that won't go _down_.

"None of our attacks seem to leave any lasting damage," Vista growls from beside him, dodging a chunk of coral that was thrown his way, "It's like he just shrugs it off!"

"Well, _maybe_ ," Jozu grunts as he catches one of the coral pieces, "We haven't been hitting him _hard_ enough."

"No shit, Sherlock," Thatch scowls as he cuts yet another in two, "That's why we brought _you_."

Jozu smiles at Thatch as a few pieces of coral _plink_ off his body. "Well, it's nice to know I'm needed-"

"Which is the only reason anyone ever brings you."

…

"You're dead when we get back, Thatch."

"Okay," the swordsman sighs in acceptance.

"Your lover's quarrel aside, we need to hit this guy with all we got," Haruta huffs as he lands next to the three, Raver in tow.

"Raver!" Thatch chuckles, "Nice of you to finally pop in!"

"Fuck you, I got thrown through a _wall,_ " the Zoan scowls.

" _Building, incoming!_ " Haruta barks suddenly.

" _ **Rrrraugh**_ _!_ " the beast roars as it hurls an _apartment complex_ at the group.

" _Scatter!_ " Thatch yells as they all dash in separate directions. The massive chunk of coral building is about to crash down-

" _Ten Thousand Brick Fist!_ "

-but it is shattered into thousands of shards as Jinbe punches it.

"Are you all okay?" the Warlord asks the Whitebeards, slight concern on his face.

"Yeah, we're good," Jozu grunts, "But we were already getting out of the way. You didn't have to step in."

" _Hm._ I was thinking of hitting this beast with water from the floating canals," Jinbe muses, "But you can attack him if you wish."

"Alright," Jozu grins as he steps forward, "Then everyone, cover your ears. It's about to get loud. _Full Diamond_ ," the Commander's skin crystallizes as he brings his hands apart, and everyone covers their ears, knowing what would happen, " _Full Diamond…_ " he growls as the beast begins to charge, and the Diamond-Man waits for it to get within arms reach, " _Diamond Wave!_ " he yells as he brings his hands together.

The air itself vibrates as a powerful shockwave of high pitched _sound_ blasts forth and sends the beast hurtling back. The wave spreads out throughout the entirety of the streets, knocking denizens over, popping eardrums, and destroying buildings within close enough distance. It was pure and utter destruction.

"And that," Jozu smirks as he reverts back to normal, "Is how you put down a pest," he turns back to the others… only to find them all flat on their backs, blown away by the sheer force of the blast. Raver, being in hybrid form, was foaming at the mouth.

"Please," Thatch groans as he struggles up, "Never do that again."

"Aw," the bruiser chuckles, "You flatter me."

Jozu helps the others up, and they all look at the devastation. "No way he's getting up," Haruta stares in disbelief, "The power of that was _crazy_!"

…

"You had to say it," everyone else deadpans, and Haruta pales.

 _Crunch_.

The beast crushes a chunk of rubble, turning it into a fine powder, and struggles up. His diving suit was in tatters, the tanks dented, and the helmet leaking foul air. He struggles up as his shattered limbs strain to carry his weight, and he turns to the sky, letting out a savage roar.

"Say, is anyone else wondering about how he's going to recover from all those broken limbs?" Thatch wonders, but no one says a thing, "Just me? Really? Wow, that's a bit weird-"

 _Crack_.

That unholy sound came from the beast direction as his bones reset, and his patchwork skin seemed to crawl as _something_ moved underneath it. His back straightened, legs unbent, arms popping back into place as massive tumor-like blobs began to appear all over his body. Then, the blobs popped in a glow of pus and blood, shards of bone clattering on the street as new ones instantly form inside. The beast then carefully picks up the shards and shovels them into his mouth, crushing an entire body's worth and absorbing it into his own once more. Then, he grins at Jozu.

"...Shit," the massive Commander gulps as his titan of an opponent begins to charge.

" _One Thousand Brick Fist!_ " the beast is sent flying as a light blue blur slams into his head. Namur lands on the ground, panting from the effort.

"Namur! I was wondering when you would make a move!" Jinbe nods at his fellow kinsman, "I see you've improved your skills!"

"I wasn't just going to stand around," the Lieutenant states in his husky voice as he joins the group, "I'm not letting you all have the action."

"Well, any help is good help," Haruta gulps as the beast stands once more, "So we should capitalize."

"I agree," Raver pants, finally recovered from his seizure, "How about we Lieutenants show him how we do things?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Vista starts, but Thatch shushes him.

"Let them," the pompadour encourages, "I want to see how far they've gotten."

"I agree," Jozu nods, and Vista just sighs.

"Fine," the gentleman turns to Jinbe, "Jinbe, you should go protect your people. We can handle things here."

"Thank you," the Warlord leaves, but glances behind him, "And good luck."

Everyone watches the Warlord go, and the three Lieutenants turn once he disappears. "What do ya say, boys?" Haruta grins at the beast, who was now becoming angry, "Should we kick his ass?"

The other two tense in anticipation, rabid smiles on their faces. " _Hell yes_."

"Then let's get him," they all charge.

=( **Kelly** )=

"Maria!" I yell as I enter the _Beluga_ 's hold, "Thatch and the others are fighting a giant monster!"

"What?" the nurse furrows her brow, "Hold on, who's doing _what?_ "

She catches me by the shoulder and turns me to face her, jerking back at the likely terrified look on my face. "Thatch and the others are fighting a monster guy in the square," I say as calmly as possible, "They told me to stay here with you, and that Wash and Teach are going to be right behind me."

"Well, at least he thought to send me my patient," Maria sighs, "But you should stay calm. They're going to be fine. They're Division Commanders, remember?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," my pulse finally slows, but the door right behind me bursting open as Teach and Washer enter sends it right back up, " _Ohdearsweetbabyjesus!_ " I yell as I scramble behind Maria, scared for my life.

"Jeez, little bro," Teach chuckles, "Ya sure are adept at using others as meat shields."

"Wha- _I am not!_ " I retort.

"Sure, sure," the titan scoffs, "Like that time when you _didn't_ hide behind me while I got my ass kicked."

" _You told me to stay behind you!_ "

"Anyways," Wash turns to Maria, "The situation isn't as bad as what Kelly probably told you. They have Thatch, Jozu, and Vista, so they should be fine. I'm more worried about the other Lieutenants."

"Why's that?" I ask, having heard the statement.

"Well, think about it," Wash explains, "The guy we're going up against has that Devil Fruit that makes him stronger, and when he fought Jinbe, he grew over the duration of that specific fight. When the guy appeared to fight us, he was obviously stronger than before, right?" the rest of us nod, agreeing, "Then it would be safe to say that this guy is stronger than a single Division Commander. Saying that, I'm positive that the Lieutenants are out of their league."

"Yeah," Teach grunts, "Despite that guy's lack of speed, he's tough and strong as all hell, and he has some annoying regeneration bullshit."

…

"Regeneration?" I gulp.

"Yeah, regen. Don't you… know…" the titan pales as it sinks in, "Oh… crap."

=( **The Fight** )=

" _Why does this guy have so much coral!?_ " Raver roars as he jumps to the side, avoiding yet _another_ chunk of the building material.

"Well, considering how the entire island's infrastructure is made out of the stuff, he isn't running out anytime soon," Namur huffs as he dashes forward, pulling back an open palm, " _Oceanic Pulse!_ " the fishman pushes his arm forward, slamming his palm into the exposed stomach of their opponent, rupturing hundreds of blood vessels as the wave of force spreads throughout the body.

" _Tempest!_ " Haruta cries as he jumps over the beast, stabbing his sword down dozens of times in a second, blurring the blade. The monster, however, brings up its arms, blocking, and swipes at the smaller swordsman, " _Shave!_ " Haruta hastily dodges, narrowly avoiding getting split in half.

"So, Haruta," Raver snarls as he digs his feet into the road, "What's the plan?"

"We've been _doing_ the plan for the past five minutes!" the redhead wipes some sweat off his brow, "Whale on him until he goes down."

"Gee, that's been working _great_ so far," Namur scoffs sarcastically, "Plan of the year."

" _You_ come up with something while in the middle of a fight," Haruta snaps back, "It isn't as easy as it looks!"

"Look, I'm as big a supporter of just kicking ass as the next guy, but we need a solid strategy," Raver catches another coral chunk, sending it right back with a heave, "Because this fucker is keeping us away."

Haruta _tsks._ "The problem is, dumbass, every bit of damage we do is shrugged off the moment we break away, which makes it impossible to leave a lasting impact."

"But _why_ is that?" Namur muses as he pounds a hail of rubble into a fine dust, "He's able to regenerate, yes, but how is he doing it? Even Devil Fruits have limits, and as Jinbe told us, he grows by absorbing one's body. His regeneration is likely linked to that somehow."

"So, he's using the mass he absorbed to repair the damage," Raver practically strains as he thinks about it. The other two Lieutenants stare at him like he has a third eye, "What? I can think, too."

"Okay, then," Haruta shakes himself out of it, "If he's repairing himself with the mass he's absorbed, that means he has a limited pool to draw from."

"So, we stop him from re-absorbing the mass," Namur concludes, "How do you propose we do that?"

"By washing it away," Haruta snaps his fingers, "Namur, you can use your Fishman Karate to wash away the damaged tissue before he can absorb it!"

"I'm not perfect at it, but I can manage," Namur mutters, "But then comes the issue of his strength. How do we damage him enough that he needs to release mass?"

"Raver and I will handle that, _you_ just worry about washing that stuff away," Haruta assures his crewmate.

"Ah, not to be a hassle," Raver intervenes, "But has anyone else noticed the lack of coral chunks flying our way?"

That statement catches the other two's attention _fast_ , and they all whip their heads to the beast, only to see a massive hole in the middle of the square. "Where is he!?" Haruta panics swiveling his head this way and that, "Can anyone sense him with Haki!?"

"I-" Raver starts, but the coral beneath his cracks, and they all look at his feet, "This is gonna suck," Raver mutters, before the monstrous hand bursts out and grabs his ankle, "Oh, yeah it is," that's the last thing he manages to say before the hand yanks him into the coral.

"Raver!" Haruta cries, reaching for his crewmate, but misses, catching air instead, "Fuck," the redhead turns to his superiors, who were just standing off to the side, watching, "Little help?"

" _You're doing great!_ " Thatch responds, causing Haruta's eye to twitch.

" _Great_ ," the swordsman sighs, "We're gonna die," the silence of the square is eerie, and the slightest clatter of rubble causes the two Lieutenants to tense in response.

Namur glances around. "So, is this thing going to show up, or-"

 _Crash_ /" _ **Rraugh!**_ "

"...Curse ironic timing," the Fishman concludes as the monster bursts out of the street, Raver's struggling form in his hand.

"Less talking, more dodging," Haruta gulps as the beast rears Raver back, the Zoan clawing at the limb.

" _I'm gonna rip your fucking heart out!_ " Raver roars as the titan hurls his body into the other two Lieutenants, sending all three flying across the square.

"Dude," Namur groans as he pushes his fellow Lieutenant off him, "How are you still moving?"

"How are _you_ still oblivious to how tough Zoans are?" Raver retorts, brushing himself off, "Getting dragged through coral is fucking _child's play_ compared to some of my past hits."

"Quit your bragging," Haruta scoffs as he wipes blood off his lip, "We're taking this monster down."

"Can we go over the plan again?" Raver huffs, digging a finger into his ear, "I think I might have gotten a minor concussion."

"You and I are going to whittle away at the beast's defenses while Namur uses his Fishman Karate to wash away any damaged matter he spits out so he doesn't re-absorb it," Haruta explains, But Raver just stands there, digging away at his ear, "...You aren't listening, are you?"

"I lost you me at 'whittle'," Raver nods.

Haruta sighs. "You and I beat the shit out of him."

"Now _that_ I understand!" Raver grins, cracking his knuckles as the beast stares.

"Namur, get to the currents," Haruta orders, "It's time to act," the Fishman nods and runs off. The swordsman turns to his Zoan counterpart, "What say we go fishing? I'll be the bait if you'll be the hook."

Raver grins ferally. "I like the sound of that."

A quick glance tells Haruta that Namur is in position. "It's now or never! Let's go!" the pair charge the beast, but instead of simply roaring and meeting them head-on, the beast allows them to close in, and Haruta can feel it tracking them. Oh well, it's too late to change course now.

" _Whirlwind!_ " Haruta cries as he leaps over its head, whipping up a salvo of razor-sharp wind to slash at its head. Nearly instantly, it retaliates, blocking with the arms and striking out as the swordsman had anticipated, and Haruta simply _Shaves_ away, leaving its stomach open to Raver.

" _Speeding Iron Slam!_ " the Zoan roars as he combines _Iron Body_ with his naturally boosted _Shave_ , sending the beast skidding back as it digs its feet into the ground, "Ya know," Raver scoffs, "For a big and ugly fucker like yourself, you sure are easy to throw around," in response, the beast just grins, it's face contorting into a sick grimace as a bubble of flesh and pus grows and bursts, sending a torrent of blood and flesh onto the street.

"Namur!" Haruta calls to the Fishman, "Now!"

" _Ocean's Current!_ " Namur yells as he reaches into a floating canal and redirects the water to wash away the gore, "Haruta! Do it again!"

"Raver, let's go!" the swordsman barks as he and the Zoan charge once more, "You go first this time!"

"Gotcha," Raver snarls as he uses his natural speed to practically teleport next to the beast, who looked like it was expecting Haruta to go first. The Cheetah-Man lets out his claws and makes to slash at the beast's exposed chest, " _Speeding Slash!_ " he roars as he shreds the monster's pectorals, causing its arms to go limp.

"Thanks for the opening," Haruta grins at Raver as the Zoan dashes back, preparing for another attack.

"No problem," Raver grins as he twists, " _Speeding Tempest Kick!_ " the attack tears through the monster's arm, mutilating it, "But you should use that chance now, or I'm taking all the credit!"

"Don't worry, it won't be wasted!" Haruta smirks, confident now, and stabs his sword forward, the air carrying the force until it strikes the beast, stabbing him at range like an arrow, "Now, how about we hit him hard?" Haruta charges.

" _Kekeke!_ Why not take him out?" Raver laughs as he follows, quickly overtaking his partner, "It should be easy enough!"

Haruta grins as his ally closes in, but movement from the beast catches his eye. Movement from his arms.

…

Which should be immobile due to the pectorals being shredded. Then, Haruta saw the grin the monster was sprouting, and his stomach plummeted to his pointed shoes. It was _grinning_. And not just any grin, oh no, it was the grin of a predator.

Haruta's eyes widen as he sees the thing's chest start to bulge, and he sees that its arm is repaired, and he realizes what was going to happen. " _Raver get out of there!_ " he roars in panic, but the Zoan is in a carnivorous bloodlust, tunnel vision dominating his senses, and he doesn't see the oncoming danger.

 _BOOM_!

" _ARGH_!" Raver screams as a _massive_ tumor bursts, blinding him with blood and bits of flesh. The beast then lunges forward with one arm.

There was nothing anyone could do. Not the Lieutenants, not the Commanders, and not Raver himself as an arm tears clean through his gut and out the other side, impaling him. The beast flings his limp and bleeding form to the side, stomping a foot to the ground, sending up a chunk of coral, which is grabbed and flung at Namur with blinding speed, slamming into his chest and putting him unconscious immediately. Then, the monster turns to Haruta.

The young swordsman grits his teeth. "You're dead," Haruta growls, " _YOU'RE DEAD!_ " he yells as he charges. He leaps over the beast, the monster's head once more as he flips his blade around to stab and _kill_ it once and for all…

But the beast simply moves, grabbing his head and _slamming_ it into the ruined coral street. Haruta feels only pain as his vision flickers and his sword drops. He can feel the cartilage in his nose crunching and his skull breaks with an echoing _crack_ , his bloodlust ending. The monster finally releases his head, and he can taste, _feel_ the blood on him, flowing from his nose, his ears, his _brain_ , and as he stares up, fading into unconsciousness, he sees the beast's horrible grin. _It was playing us_ , he realizes, _We never stood a chance…_ and with that, the future Commander of the Twelfth Division stares death in the face as the beast stands over his limp form, rearing back a fist to finish the job. The monster's fist blurs foreward, going at speeds unseeable to the human eye-

" _ **NO**_!"/ _Shi-thwok_!/" _ **GRAAAAUGH**_!"

Before clutching its bleeding stump as said hand was chopped off by the Haki-imbued blade of Fifth Division Commander Vista, who, in rage over the possible loss of his crewmates, his _family_ , immediately bashes the beast with a Haki-imbued pommel, sending it flying with impossible speed. The amalgamation skids to a stop before struggling up, but is instantly met by a fist made of diamond, courtesy of equally enraged Third Division Commander Jozu, which crushes its jaw with a sickening _crunch_ and sends it once more through the air. But this time, instead of skidding to a halt, it is stopped by the blade of apoplectic Fourth Division Commander Thatch, who cuts it into ribbons after impaling it, turning the monster into a shredded torso and head without limbs, finally kicking the beast to the center of the square, where all three Commanders surround it.

"Thatch…" Haruta struggles out, "We… failed… sorry-"

" _Haruta_ ," Thatch cuts off the wounded Lieutenant, "There's no need to apologize."

"You three were out of your league with this _beast_ ," Vista snarls, glaring in a very _un_ -gentlemanly way at the beast, who was beginning to regenerate.

"Yeah," Jozu sneers, cracking his diamond-encrusted knuckles as tumors grow throughout the monster's body, "And we ain't just gonna stand by as our brothers get killed."

"Despite the fact that we let you fight by yourselves, we thought he was weaker," Thatch growls, "But we were wrong, so I apologize for letting this happen. In the meantime, however…"

All three of the powerhouses fall into their stances as limbs and muscles burst out, completing the beast's body, but it is _significantly_ thinner and shorter than before, with fewer scale patches and smaller claws. They all three glare and finish the speech.

" _ **The Division Commanders will take care of him**_."

 **AN: Aaaand that's the chapter! I feel like this one is much more complete than a lot of the recent ones, due to the fact that I took nearly a week to choreograph that entire fight. Anyways, see ya!**


	13. Chapter 13: The Weakness

Chapter 13

 **AN: You all know what time it is! Sorry in advance if the beginning fight scene seems chaotic, I went through three complete rewrites before deciding it was good and I needed to progress. With that out of the way, let's get to the fight.**

Chapter 13

Silence covered the destroyed plaza as a scarred, mutilated, and horrifyingly twisted monster wearing what remained of a diving suit stood, staring Thatch right in the eye.

 _Now that I have a chance,_ the pompadoured Commander narrows his eyes as he tenses, _I'm not letting this fucker live. He possibly killed Raver, and Haruta is likely dying._ No one _gets away with that. Not with my Division._

"Thatch?" Vista asks from one of the beast's flanks, "What exactly is the plan?"

"I thought the plan was to just beat the crap out of him," Jozu scowls, both arms encased in diamond.

"I don't _care_ ," Thatch snaps, his rage still in full swing, "I just want him dead on the ground and tossed into the sea to dispose of the body."

Vista grits his teeth, eyeing the monster between them. "I understand your anger, Thatch, I'm almost as enraged as you," he raises his dual sabers, "But this isn't the time to lose your temper. You saw how capable this… _thing_ is in combat. It is able to adapt, so if you go in without thinking straight, you _will_ be taken down."

" _Rrrgh,_ " the pompadour growls begrudgingly, and Jozu claps his hands, sending out a harsh sound, which seems to snap the Fourth Commander back to reality.

"Can't this guy hear us?" the Diamond-Man muses, and the beast glances at him, "I mean, if he's smart enough to adapt, he'd know that _I'm_ the largest of us, and that I have the _most_ _meat_ on my bones."

"What are you-?" Thatch is confused, but he realizes - with surprise that Jozu could actually _think_ like that - what the Third Commander was doing, deciding to play along, "Oh, yeah! Jozu is by _far_ one of the largest guys on our crew. He's up there with Teach and Pops!" he chuckles fakely, but the beast doesn't seem like it's suspicious, "He's kinda fat," _that_ comment, however, earns him a bit of a murderous glare from Jozu.

"Our brother is quite strong," Vista joins in, and the monster is gaining a hungry look in it's yellow and hazel eyes, "You would gain quite the large pool of strength if you absorb him."

That did it for the monster. The amalgamation twisted its body, tensed its legs, and leaped towards its prey…

" _What!?"_ / _Crash_!

… and Vista quickly threw up his twin blades, blocking the beast's strike. The Fifth Commander then pushes the monster away from him and brings a sword down, slicing off a hand that had begun reaching for him.

"The hell was that?" Thatch growls as he dashes over, drop kicking the beast away from his surrogate brother.

"I don't know," Vista replies, flicking the gore off his blade as the beast clutches it's stump, "But I couldn't see it coming with my Observation Haki. That fact alone worries me."

"Do ya think it knows how to counter our Haki?" Jozu frowns, but a wave from Thatch brushes him off.

"I don't think it knows how to send multiple attack plans as a counter, if that's what you mean," the pompadour ponders as the monster's arm bursts out of another tumor, "The fact that we couldn't sense any sort of intention from it means it's acting on instinct. It's not countering intentionally."

"That's _more_ worrisome, if anything," Vista sighs as the beast clambers up once more, "It means that we don't know _anything_ it's going to do."

"Then we just have to react like we're a crew from Paradise," Thatch grins on the outside, but it is purely a confidant front. _Damn,_ his inner self vents its frustration, _I never realized just how dependent I've gotten on my Haki. This complicates things._

"Here it comes," Jozu grunts as the monster digs its feet into the coral, "I'll take it," the Diamond-bodied Commander leaps forward as the beast does the same, and their arms _slam_ into each other, a burst of force sending dust and small chunks of coral flying.

"Thatch!" Vista yells, and the two swordsmen dash past Jozu, slashing at the beast's arms.

" _Groovy Slash!_ "/" _Hydrangea!_ "

The Commanders skid to a halt as the monster's arms go limp, the muscles and tendons sliced in two, and Jozu grabs it's broken limbs, plants a foot in its chest, and _pushes_.

 _Rrrrip_! the Third Commander tears the forearms are out, and his foot pushes the beast towards the other two Commanders, who are waiting with their blades.

" _Once more!_ " the Commanders of the Fourth and Fifth Divisions cry as they swing their blades again, slicing neatly through its sides, and the beast falls over, nearly bisected at the stomach.

"* _tch*_ Damn," Thatch scowls as he looks at the results of their teamwork, "I thought we cut him in half. Should've gone for the head."

"At least we dealt a considerable amount of damage," Vista mutters, "Look at how small it is compared to the beginning," sure enough, when the monster struggles up, it was around Jozu's height, significantly smaller than when it had 'battled' (i.e. creamed) Teach.

"Should we be letting it regen?" Thatch suddenly wonders aloud as the beast forms more tumors on its wounds, "I mean, I get that it's weaker every time, but don't we want it beat as fast as possible?"

"I don't think that it's wise to attack it as of now," Vista shakes his head, "If it regenerates when we go in to attack, I don't want to think about what could happen. This way, we take it down safely."

"Alright," Thatch sighs, "I'll trust you on this one…"

"It's back," Jozu cracks his neck as the monster stands once more, "I'll take it again," he states as he leaps at the beast again, and once more, the beast leaps back.

"Wait-!" Vista urges, but Jozu is already gone.

" _Come on_!" the Diamond-Man roars as he barrels towards the monster, and the beast meets him. Once more, they collide, and Jozu grabs both of its wrists, locking it in place, " _Now!_ "

"Vista!" Thatch yells, and Jozu can feel his teammates charging in again, but he glances down as he feels a pressure against his chest, seeing the beast's feet pressing against it. His eyes widen.

" _Groovy Slash!_ "/" _Hydrangea!_ "/ _Rrrrip!_

The two swordsmen use their slashing moves, but their blades only pass through air as the beast lunges back, tearing off its own hands and kicking Jozu back. Vista, being suspicious already, quickly digs his foot into the ground, but Thatch, fully expecting his blade to hit solid flesh, is caught slightly off-guard, and stumbles. The beast, now no longer restricted, plants its feet and lunges at the pompadour, slamming its body into his, knocking him down. A tumor quickly bursts on one of its wounds, and a hand bursts out, quickly wrapping around Thatch's throat.

 _Sluuuurp…_ the signature sound of its draining process sounds, and Thatch goes limp, his body feeling like it has lost all energy. He can feel his strength draining, his muscles weakening, and he can't breathe as the thing's grip tightens.

" _ **Get away from him**_!" Jozu and Vista roar as they slam into the beast. A blade slices through the air, aiming for the head, but the beast brings up the arm holding Thatch, sacrificing the limb to protect the main organ, but the effort only buys some time, as a glimmering fist rams into its face, sending it flying into a pile of rubble. Thatch falls to the ground with a hard _thump_.

" _Ungh,_ " Thatch clutches his ribs as Jozu pulls him up, "What _was_ that? It didn't pull that before, and I think it might have broken a few ribs. Not enough time to throw up an Armament Coating…"

"I think it knows the basics of our abilities," Vista states, his expression darkening, and the other two glance at him confusedly.

"Whaddya mean?" Jozu cocks his head, "He hasn't seen our abilities until now, right?"

"Actually…" Thatch pants as he recovers, "Vista and I used our ranged attacks when we skirmished with this guy before, and you used your clapping sound-thing as well. It's not hard to tell that you're a hand to hand fighter, and that we use swords with some ranged attacks. He just needed to know our styles."

"I agree," Vista tightens his grip on the blades as the rubble pile shifts, "If he's been learning ever since the beginning, it means he's seen how we fight, so we have to be much more cautious than we initially thought."

"That… makes things more difficult," Jozu grits his teeth, "Is there anything else that could happen?"

"I…" Thatch winces, "I think it might be getting faster the more we hurt it."

"Hm?" Vista glances inquisitively, "How so?"

"Well, remember when the Lieutenants were fighting him, and they thought that he was drawing from the rest of his body?" the pompadour asks, and the others nod, "Well, his body was massive, and he was really slow, because he had a lot of extra weight on him, yeah?" Jozu is still confused, but Vista pales as he realizes what Thatch was implying, "Well, we've been cutting and destroying a lot of his extra muscle, which would mean that he has less weight holding him back. That would mean he's been getting faster every time we hurt him, as I said before. _Much_ faster."

"Well, shit," Jozu huffs, and the beast bursts out of the rubble with a roar, "Ain't that just a _bitch_."

"Yeah. No more underestimating," Thatch grimaces as his ribs - they had to at _least_ be cracked if they were hurting this much - send out a shock of pain. _I really hope Wash and the others are doing good right now…_

=(I)=

 _I hope they're okay_ … I sigh as I stare at the wooden ceiling, sitting in a hammock that Teach rugged up for me. Honestly, for a future murderer and traitor, he was a really chill dude. He just had… _episodes_ from time to time.

"Where is it…" a shock of grey hair bobs in and out of my corner vision as Lieutenant Washer searches for _something_ , "I _know_ that he has that book _somewhere_!"

"What are you looking for, Wash?" I ask as I sit up, curious as to why he was looking through everyone's stuff, "One of Thatch's Mangas?"

"No, I-" the Bubble-Man starts, but stops as he realizes what I just said, "Wait, what?

I freeze up as I remember what Thatch was like after I learned, and instantly fling myself at Wash's feet. " _PLEASE DON'T TELL HIM I TOLD YOU THAT!_ " I beg, tears - somehow - quickly streaming down my face.

"Relax, Kelly," Wash chuckles, "I'm not going to tell him."

"Really?" I ask, the tears - again, _somehow_ \- instantly disappearing, and Washer nods reassuringly, " _THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!_ " I hug him in my joy, and he just pats me on the back awkwardly.

"Yeah, kid, you're welcome," the Lieutenant grunts as I push him away, "But, you wanna help me look for something?"

"Sure!" I grin enthusiastically, "What is it?"

"It's a book on Devil Fruits," the grey-eyed Lieutenant replies, and I remember that Teach did have a book like that in the story, "I need it to find the monster's weakness. You know, in the very rare event that the Commanders don't get it."

"No, no, I understand," I nod, "But why not just ask Teach? I'm sure he would like to help."

Washer shakes his head. "I don't trust him," the Lieutenant explains, "He dealt some damage to the beast when he fought it alone, and was able to hold out against its insane strength. He's not telling us something."

"I…" I speak up, the memory of what transpired at the bar comes to mind, "I might know what he's hiding."

"What is it?" Wash asks me, curious.

"Haki," I gulp, knowing full well that Teach could be listening in at any time, "I think he has Haki."

"How do you know?" the grey haired strategist inquires, "Did something happen?"

"Back in the bar he took me to," I answer, "I was looking around for any potential enemies, and he told me not to worry about it. After that, he could read me like a book, and during his fight with the monster, I could see his hands were turned black, like an Armament Coating."

"If he's been hiding that from all of us…" Wash narrows his eyes, "I'll talk to Thatch about that later. For now, we need to focus on the task at hand. If you think we can trust him, go find Teach."

"Okay," I sigh, and stride out of the room…

"Hey there, little bro!"

 _Ohfuckme_ , my breath catches in my throat as Teach grins my way, leaning against the doorway.

"So," the titan huffs, "I couldn't help but, ah, _overhear_ ya talkin' about my abilities…" he leans in, " _Why did ya pull that_?"

"W-well," I stammer, "We were looking for a book you have, one on Devil Fruits? And Wash didn't want to ask you, because he doesn't trust you, a-and-"

"What's going on here?" Washer steps through the doorway, putting himself between us, "Teach!" he notes as he sees the impromptu bodyguard, "How convenient. Now you can help us find that book!"

"Washer, what a surprise," Teach sneers, "I came with some news: the other Lieutenants just got their asses kicked halfway to the grave."

Wash's confidence falters. "You're lying," he growls, "The Commanders would never let that happen."

"Feel it out for yourself," Teach's sneer grows, and Washer clenches his jaw.

"You know as well as I do that my Observation Haki isn't strong enough for that," Wash huffs, "I can only get feelings, itches in the back of my mind, and that's when I _focus_. But from what _I've_ heard, you've advanced _yours_ to Commander level."

"Yeah, well," Teach grunts, "Fine, I'll help ya get the book," he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a leather bound book, the image of a Devil Fruit printed on the cover, "Here ya go, but I can tell ya which Devil Fruits this guy could have. I've memorized that book front to back, and it's either the Heal-Heal Fruit or the Mass-Mass Fruit."

"What do they do?" I ask, curious.

"Well, the Heal-Heal Fruit should be self-explanatory, the user is able to heal any injury or disease, and effectively becomes invincible," the titan explains, "But the Mass-Mass Fruit is another story. Y'see, that fruit gives the user the ability to manipulate their own body mass, as well as absorb others' bodies into their own. If the user knows what to do, they can also regenerate their own bodies with the bodies of others. Generally, the user becomes much stronger, but they can also absorb natural attributes into their own bodies, like a Fishman's heightened strength or a Mink's higher senses."

"That sounds like our culprit," Wash mutters, and I nod in agreement.

"However," Teach continues, "The more mass the user absorbs, the harder it is to control any urges they have, and most past users went insane."

"Did you memorize that word for word?" I ask, and Teach nods.

"Yeah, I did," the titan rubs his neck, "Anyways, that's our guy, I'd say."

"Yeah…" Wash is lost in thought, "Did the book say if it had any weaknesses?"

"Other than that it gets slower with extra weight, no," Teach replies, "And they retain some of their former intelligence, which would explain how it was able to take on three Lieutenants that were workin' together."

"That sounds bad," I gulp, but I begin to think. _How does it heal itself? Accelerated healing doesn't make any sense, because it's just manipulating mass, not it's healing…_ "Wait," I pipe up, and Teach is already looking through the book, no doubt having heard my thoughts, "How does it heal? You didn't say it had the ability to, so does it just make new limbs for every injury?"

"No," Teach gums as he reads over the entry, "It says here that regeneration is more of a quick patch, like slappin' duct tape over a leakin' hole. It's not permanent."

" _Slap it on with the might of Zeus_ …" I mutter as I remember the meme-worthy video, and the other two glance at me curiously.

"Wait, why don't we ask Maria about this?" Wash muses.

"Why Maria?" I ask, confused.

"She's a doctor, right?" he explains, and the others nod, understanding what I mean, "Then we should ask _her_ about this! She might be able to tell us some hints on how to stop this monster, right?"

"Sure," Washer muses, "Why not?"

" _Zeeehahaha!_ Then let's get goin', little bro!" Teach chuckles as the three of us make our way towards the medical ward.

=(I)=

"From what you three told me, the easiest way to take this thing out is by cutting off the head," Maria grumbles as she organizes some painkiller bottles.

"Maria, while that _is_ an option," Washer replies, "I'd rather not get in too close to that thing, so any other ideas would be appreciated."

" _Fine_ ," the nurse sighs, "I'll look into it further," she grabs a sheet of paper and a pencil, "Injuries?"

"I'm pretty sure that the Commanders have been turnin' it into pulled pork, so let's say all of them," Teach booms, staring at something that isn't there, "And it's suffered hundreds of smaller cuts and the like throughout the fight. It's been losin' mass, and has gotten faster over the past fifteen minutes."

"Regenerative abilities?"

"Only recyclin' the busted bits."

"State of decomposition?"

"...What?" Teach - and the rest of us - stare at her as if she's crazy.

" _State of decomposition?_ " Maria presses on.

"Uh… constant?"

"What I thought," the nurse mutters as she scribbles down something on the sheet, "His body is going to tear itself apart before the end of the day."

"How do you know that?" I ask, confused, "From what Teach told us, he's been doing fine!"

"Scar tissue," Maria replies, "Because he doesn't truly regenerate, he's forced to use damaged tissue to repair other damaged parts. Also, his body has to eat away at itself to maintain energy for that much mass. If what Jinbe told you all about his state before he began absorbing others is true, his body isn't used to this much mass, and therefore is working overtime in order to survive. That, on top of his need to consume and fight, is going to drive him into the ground."

"So…" I try to put together a coherent statement, my mind spinning from all the information, "He's a zombie?"

"In layman's terms, yes," Maria smiles, "He is technically a walking corpse."

"Then he's weak to fire!" I grin, silently thanking the years of Halo 3 I played, putting a flamethrower to the flood- _Holy shit this guy's like the flood!_ I realize, and my heart leaps, feeling nostalgic.

"That would probably work pretty well," Maria returns to her work - whatever it was, "Now get out. I need to focus."

" _Hahaha!_ " I giggle crazily as Wash, Teach and I exit the room, "Where do you guys keep the flamethrowers!?"

"What flamethrowers?" Wash asks, and I turn on a dime.

"You know, flamethrowers!" I implore, "Big, heavy nozzles that spit gouts of _FIRE_ that burn everything in their path!"

"..." Wash just stares at me, "Kelly, we're on a wooden boat in the middle of the ocean. We wouldn't bring a flamethrower unless we were stupid."

"Awww…" I sag, my dreams for a fiery adventure crushed, "Dang it…"

"We need a proper plan," Wash states, and I nod in depressed understanding, "The best option would be to find something faster that could avoid the beast. Either that, or more maneuverable. Any ideas?"

"I'd say the canals," Teach muses, "Those move pretty fast, and if we had somethin' small enough to ride it, the monster wouldn't be able to catch us. I doubt it knows any of the Six Powers, so it can only attack by chargin' at us."

"Well, any ideas on where we would get something small enough to ride the canals?" Wash asks, "I'm pretty sure the _Beluga_ wouldn't work, and I am _not_ riding around on a piece of driftwood."

"I actually thought about that, and hid somethin' in the cargo hold just before we pushed off," Teach grins mischievously, "I wanted to ride the canals with my little bro, but why not use it now?" the titan turns to me, "Little bro, go see what it is."

"Alright!" I comply, an inkling as to what it is already in my mind. But as I round a corner, I hear the voice of Wash, serious and commanding.

"Why didn't you tell Maria about the other Lieutenants?" the grey-eyed leader implores, "She could be the only one who can save them."

"Thatch took a hit," comes the reply, and Teach is actually serious, "I can't tell if the Zoan is still alive, the Fishman is out cold, and shortie is schedulin' an appointment with the reaper. Tellin' her that would give her too much stress, and that beast just keeps gettin' faster as time goes on."

"So you do have some sympathy after all…" I hear Wash's final comment before I continue on to see what Teach brought.

=( **Back at the fight** )=

" _ **Rrraugh**_!" the beast roars as it lunges at Thatch, who _Shaves_ out of the way only milliseconds before the floor beneath him is shattered.

"This thing sure is annoying!" Thatch grits his teeth as his ribs creak, "It's fast as all hell and _still_ strong enough to shatter the street! What a pain…"

"Indeed," Vista muses as he speeds in front of the monster, and moments later, its chest opens, blood flowing out of two parallel cuts - Vista's _Hydrangea_ , "But the decrease in strength is working wonders for Jozu," the gentleman grins his signature grin as a chunk of coral barrels into the beast, sending it back a few feet.

" _YA CAN'T HURT_ ME _, YA FREAK!_ " Jozu taunts from a few feet away, now in _Full_ _Diamond_.

" _Don't piss it off, you moron_!" Thatch growls as the monster regenerates, spitting out more damaged tissue and likely becoming just a _bit_ faster than before.

"Yeah, whatever," the Diamond-Man huffs as he digs his fingers into the street, dislodging another piece of coral, "You're just jealous. This armor makes me invincible!"

At those words, Thatch sees the monster's eyes widen, and it begins to dart around as if it's looking for something. Frowning, the Commander charges at the beast, saber raised. "Hey, ugly!" he cries as he _Shaves_ above it, blade turning black, "Pay attention! _Spinning In Style!_ " the beast grunts as Thatch spins, creating a whirlwind of black steel that shreds its chest to ribbons, but it staggers back before he can make it to the head. The Fourth Commander smiles malevolently as he sticks a three-point landing, ribs throbbing with the exertion, "That'll teach you not to ignore me."

"You know," Vista comments as he _Shaves_ next to Thatch, "I truly wish this beast wasn't guarding its head, or I would decapitate it."

"We've had multiple chances already," Thatch retorts, "When you got it off of me, for example."

"I was focusing more on saving you, and less on doing more damage," the gentleman sighs, "Sometimes in combat-"

"-you don't think, you just 'do', I _know_ ," Thatch grimaces, "Everyone has those moments."

"Hey, guys?" Jozu calls from a ways away, "It's looking at me funny."

"Looking at you funny…?" Thatch repeats as he looks at the monster. Sure enough, it's eyes were locked on Jozu. But not his eyes, it was staring at his body, which was _Full Diamond_ and impenetrable.

"It may be trying to discover a way to get past it," Vista suggests, but before any of them can act, the beast _moves_.

" _Crap_!" Thatch hisses as he tracks the monster with his eyes. It wasn't going so fast that it was impossible to see, but it was about halfway to a proper _Shave_ speed. The only reason the pompadour wasn't using his Haki to follow its aura was due to the fact that since the beast was so chaotic, it overwhelmed his senses the moment he relied on the skill. Now, they were all forced to use the Six Powers and Armament Haki.

"Jozu, it is headed in your direction!" Vista warns the giant, and said giant nods, bracing himself with an _Iron Body_ to add onto his protection. Overkill, but he wasn't taking any chances.

" _ **Kill**_!" the beast howls the first words it has spoken throughout the entire fight as it crashes into Jozu, breaking its arms and legs as it thrashes against the Diamond-Man's defenses.

" _Chrysanthemum!_ " Vista cries as he dashes in, slashing at the monster's neck, but the beast ducks and retaliates almost instantaneously, slashing at Vista with its - now, almost _nonexistent_ \- claws, but is only met with blackened skin as Vista puts up a Haki shield. Unfortunately, the monster seemed to be expecting it, as it lashed out with its _other_ arm, striking the swordsman's leg, leaving deep gashes that begin to bleed profusely. " _GAH!_ " Vista yells as he jumps back using his good leg, and Jozu retaliates for him.

" _Diamond Smash!_ " the Third Commander roars as he slams his fist into the beast's back, sending it soaring across the field with a _crunch_.

"You okay?" Thatch dashes over, a concerned look on his face, "That looks pretty bad."

"I'm fine," Vista winces, "But we need to finish this, _now_. I don't know how long we can fight like this."

"The little shit's planning something, that's for sure…" Jozu mutters, and almost as if on cue, the monster releases bits of shattered bone and torn muscle all over the plaza, but it then re-absorbs the shards of bone, it's eyes searching around for something, and it settles on the four limbs it had lost at the beginning, and goes over.

"Should we let it take back the power it had?" Thatch asks as it picks up one of them - a leg, "I mean, it would get slower, but it would-"

 _Rrrrip!_

The Fourth Commander is stopped as the monster sinks its teeth into the flesh of its own former leg, tearing off all the muscle and tendons in one motion. Spitting the rotting flesh aside, it sticks the entire bone structure, cartilage and all, into its mouth, swallowing it all. It then goes on to repeat the process, only eating bone, until it finishes.

"Okay," Thatch gapes, shocked, "What the fuck!?"

"Oh, no…" a worried gasp from Vista snaps the pompadour out of his stupor, "It wasn't trying to find a way to get _past_ Jozu's Diamond…" the monster grins, a sick grimace, and it's skin begins to crawl, the membrane going taut as _something_ shoves its way between it and the muscles.

"It was trying to _copy_ Jozu's _Full Diamond…_ " Thatch realizes with a gulp, and with a brutal _crack_ the final shard of bone exoskeleton falls into place, covered only by a thin layer of skin.

" _Cha!_ " Jozu chuckles, "That thing couldn't do _shit_. We've been shattering it's bones easily enough, so this shouldn't be any different!" the titan charges forward, swinging with a Haki-imbued fist, but hits only air as the monster shifts to the side, returning the punch with one of its own, which strikes Jozu in the only part of his face still showing, " _Argh!_ " the Third Commander grunts as he staggers, blood flowing from a cut in his temple.

" _Get away!_ " Vista roars as he slashes one of his sabers, raking it across the beast's collarbone, but it gets stuck halfway through. The bone armor was too thick. The swordsman attempts to pull the weapon out, but the beast reaches down and grabs the blade, snapping it in two.

"No!" Vista gasps in horror as he reels back, the broken hilt ringing in mourning as years of use and memories are shattered in an instant. The Fifth Commander then sheathes what was left of the blade, glaring at the monster, "Do you know what you have done!? That blade was _Ochitsuita_ , one of the _O Wazamono_ swords, paired with _Arashi_ , another blade of the same make! I have held responsibility over these weapons for my entire life, and they are extensions of my _soul_! _You will pay for this_ ," Vista growls as he grips _Arashi_ 's hilt with both hands, rage easily visible on his face. The gentleman shifts his footing, about to dash forward and deliver a killing strike-

" _Augh!_ "

But even his rage and minor adrenaline levels could not ignore the severity of his leg wound, and a streak of pain causes him to hesitate in his actions, and the beast slams a fist into his head, sending him to the ground. The monster raises a fist, preparing to slam down and finish the bleeding Commander, but Thatch slides between them, ribs screaming in pain, and blocks the strike with his own Haki-imbued sword.

"Don't worry," Thatch turns his head and grins at his surrogate brother, " _Toonkigō_ and I have your back," unfortunately, not a moment later, the beast uses its _other_ arm to strike Thatch in the ribs, breaking a few more and causing him to cough up a gout of blood.

" _THATCH!_ " Vista roars from behind as he slams his entire body into the monster, sending it to the ground and crushing it moments later, "You'll pay, ya little…" the titan grunts as he puts the beast into a headlock, squeezing on its neck until it cracks, then breaks, its windpipe crushed as well. The unholy amalgamation finally stops moving.

"Thatch!" Vista crawls over to his friend, and the pompadour coughs up more blood.

" _Can't… breathe…_ " the weakening Commander wheezes, and Jozu plods over, panting.

"Hope this'll help," the rough-and-tough brawler states as he raises a fist before bringing it down on Thatch's stomach. With the _crunch_ of bone being forced to move, Thatch gasps as he jerks upright with the force before falling back down, gulping down air as his bones are forced away from his soft lungs.

"What the hell, man…" he finally smiles weakly, glancing up at the titan. After a small amount of silence, Thatch asks, "Did you make sure he's dead?"

"Not moving, that's for sure," Jozu heaves, stumbling about, "Don't think I could fight another round with the guy. Feeling a bit too biffed," he gestures to his head wound, "Maria'll patch me up."

"I'm more worried about _Ochitsuita_ ," Vista moans in shame as he pulls out the blade, "I can never call myself a swordsman after this…"

"Worry about that later," Thatch closes his eyes, exhausted, "I'm tired. That guy hit like you, Jozu. And once he got that bone armor shit…" he trails off as he hears the cracking of bone from the direction of the beast, "Are you sure he's dead?"

Jozu only shakes his head grimly as the monster's bones reset, repairing its windpipe as it staggers up.

"Why won't this beast just _fucking die_?" Vista groans in an off-character burst of annoyance as he stands using _Arashi_ as a cane. Blood gushed from his wound, and he could hardly focus with how light his head felt.

"Ya know it's bad when _Vista_ starts cussing…" Jozu mutters as he clutches his skull, following suit.

"I'll just stay down here, if you don't mind," Thatch mumbles as darkness creeps in around him, "I'm a bit tired…"

"Vista?" Jozu asks his surrogate brother as the beast strides towards them.

"Yes, Jozu?" comes the reply.

"We've had a good run, but I think it might end here," the titan grits his teeth as his brain throbs, "So I just wanna say - it's been an honor sailing with ya."

"Likewise, my brother," the swordsman mutters as he lifts his saber, defiant until the end, "So we should go out in a blaze of glory."

"Couldn't a said it better myself," Jozu grins as his arms turn to crystal.

The beast begins to pick up speed, stomping its feet on the ground in quick _thuds_ , and it lets open its mouth to unleash a massive roar-

 _Crack!_

-but nothing comes out as it's vocal chords are obliterated, and it's chest bursts open as a pointed, high-velocity projectile drills its way through, sending shards of bone clattering to the ground.

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary," a confident and familiar baritone sounds as another _crack_ sounds, and another hole is blown out of the monster's armor, "Because the cavalry's here."

Thatch glances to where the voice is coming from, and out of the corner of his eye, he catches a glimpse of a red cedar boat, carrying three forms on the floating canals. The first was massive, all black hair and missing teeth, a pistol and a cutlass gripped in his hands. The second: all grey and bubbles, grinning as he forms white spears around him, being the one who said it, and the third? A moronic teen with ginger-honey hair and vivid blue eyes holding a strange rifle with a lever on the bottom, firing away at a monster he was running from only an hour ago. Thatch would yell at them later.

 _But for now?_ the Commander thinks as darkness closes around him, _I'll leave it to them…_

 **AN: Aaaand that's the chapter! I decided to give my own names to Thatch and Vista's blades, as they were never named in the story. All criticism is welcome, as both kinds point out problems that I can fix. Anyways, see you all next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 **AN: Hey everyone! Sorry for the later upload, I was spending my last few days of freedom with those of my friends who were leaving for college. Since school started recently, my uploads will be coming in much slower, but I'm going to try to keep a steady-ish schedule. Anyways, enjoy!**

Chapter 14

 _Thank god grandpa made bullets with hardened tips_ … I gulp as I pump the lever on my rifle, ejecting a spent cartridge and forcing another fresh one into the chamber, _Because this is_ way _too crazy_.

Wash, Teach and I had come up with this - honestly half-assed - plan on the fly, but it was working surprisingly well. The _Nicholas II_ was riding the rapid stream like it was nothing, and the speed was keeping us out of that monster's reach. Whenever it would get remotely close, either Wash or Teach would bat it away with Haki or bubbles, and I was unloading impossible amounts of steel and lead into the thing, tearing it to shreds. Normally, I suppose that I would be opposed to the action of harming another human, but given the fact that it looked like an extra from the walking dead, it didn't bother me very much.

 _Ching!_ The sound of an empty clip rings as I pump the lever once more, and I reach into my pocket, pulling out a stripper clip: a strip of metal with five bullets attached, which is used to reload the older weapon from the chamber.

 _Do I really not care?_ I wonder as I mindlessly attach the bottom of the bullet strip onto the chamber, pushing down on the top shell, sliding all five shots into the gun, and I yank the lever, finishing my reload, _Is this thing even still intelligent?_ as I debate with myself, I aim down the ironsights, centering the the metal ridge on the beast, and I pull the trigger without a second thought. The rifle belches flame as a spike of steel flies into the monster's flesh, crushing through the strange bone armor it had formed, and the beast staggers, its insides melting with the friction.

"Well, little bro," Teach grins, "That gun of yers is workin' pretty good! How's it gettin' through that armor?"

"Pointed tips," I respond emotionlessly, my weapon bucking against my shoulder, "They put a tremendous amount of pressure on a specific area, and since these specific bullets have harder tips than my standard shot, so they don't deform as easily and can penetrate tougher armor."

"That's useful. _Bleached Spike!_ " Washer snorts as he flings a spike of compressed bubbles at the monster, embedding it through the shoulder, "It's just like _my_ ranged moves."

"Yeah," I grunt as the beast roars, beginning to charge, "Teach?"

"I've got him," the titan sighs, "But how 'bout we mix it up? I'll take him head-on while ya shoot him from range and Wash gets his ass beat."

"I won't be beaten down," Wash nods as he creates two more spikes.

" _Zehaha_. Then let's get him!" Teach chuckles as he and Wash leap off the _Nicholas II_ , causing the ship to rock, throwing off my aim.

" _Damn_ ," I mutter as the three brawlers meet, Teach's weight overpowers the monster's strength, and Wash jams the two spikes into its side. Unfortunately, Teach being in the way blocks any angle I have, and I'm forced to watch until I'm further down the canal.

" _Come on!_ " Teach roars as he rears back his cutlass and brings it down on the beast's face with a _crack_ , breaking the blade on the bone, but also breaking its nose.

" _ **Rrraugh!**_ " the monster roars in pain as it grabs Teach's shirt, throwing him off.

"Oh, no you don't," Wash grits his teeth as he runs in, forming spikes on his knuckles, "I don't have a name for this, but _it'll do the trick_!" the Lieutenant grunts as he punches the temple, but the monster just slaps him away, and I see the bubble-man tumble along the coral ground. I glance back at the beast, bringing my gun around, and see four holes in the side of its head close as I look down the sights.

 _Just gotta hurt it enough that we can use the Molotov…_ I narrow my eyes as I unload yet another of my precious bullets into the monster, and it glares at me. If I was a harsher person, I might have aimed for the head, but I don't think I want to go down that road if I can avoid it…

"Keep yer eye on the prize, ya fuck!" Teach yells as he rams a Haki-imbued pistol butt into the back of its head, and the beast's attention goes to him as they begin to grapple.

"Keep doing damage!" Wash rams a pillar of bubbles into the thing's stomach, crushing its gut, and the beast coughs up blood.

"Losin' yer armor, ain'tcha?" Teach taunts the beast as he puts it in a full nelson, and I put three more bullets into its weakening chest before reloading.

"Yeah," Wash nods in agreement, forming five more spikes, "Unfortunately for you, we went into this fight with one: a plan, and two: proper ranged support that you can't get to. I guess it also helps that you're pretty weakened from your previous fights, too."

" _Zehaha!_ Ye're pretty screwed, bud!" Teach laughs, tightening his grip, but I see the beast shift, "I mean, ya can't just expect to bea-"

 _Crunch!_ /" _Gah!_ "

Teach is cut off as the monster jerks its head back, ramming into Teach's face, causing the titan to stagger back in pain, clutching his now-broken nose. The beast then twists, ramming its body into Teach, sending the future Yonko sprawling and causing him to drop his gun and what was left of the sword.

" _Bleached Spear!_ " Wash yells as he begins to attack, but the monster disappears, and the Lieutenant tenses, still and searching with Haki. However, the beast appears and bats the side of Wash's head with a _crack_ , sending the bubble-man flying. I then remember what had happened to Wash earlier that week.

 _He has that head injury,_ I realize, _If he takes more hits like that, he might_ die. With that knowledge, I rapid-fire, sending an entire five bullet clip into the monster's back before it can pursue my friend, and the beast turns to me, enraged. " _Come get it, shithead!_ " I yell at it, and it growls, dashing towards me. _That's fast,_ I gulp as it closes the distance in a second, leaping at where I am, _I have made a terrible mistake._

" _ **KILL!**_ " the twisted creature slams through the water I was just riding through, cutting the flow off, and the _Nicholas II_ drops the ten feet like a stone, crashing into the ground with a _thud_ , and I tumble out, twisting my ankle.

" _Augh!_ " I cry out in pain, clutching my foot as it throbs. It might not be anything like what everyone else got, but it _hurt_ , damn it!

" _ **Rrrgh**_ ," I freeze as I hear a feral growl behind me, and I slowly glance back, shaking in fear.

" _Meep_ ," I squeak as I come face-to-face with a walking corpse. The beast's face was even more twisted than before, with flesh slowly beginning to peel away and yellow teeth beginning to show. The thing's outer skin was falling off, revealing a layer of bone acting as makeshift armor, and it strode towards me, reaching with one clawed hand…

" _Bleached Pillar!_ " the beast's neck _snaps_ as a rod of white rams into it, causing it to stagger, and Washer jumps in, slamming a fist surrounded in bubbles into the thing's chest, sending it flying, "I might not have much physical strength normally," the Lieutenant states in a dramatic voice as he stands over me, entire body covered in bubble armor, "But when I use _Bleached Armor_ , my strength and endurance increases _tenfold,_ " he narrows his eyes, "I won't let you touch my crewmate."

"Wash!" I grimace, clutching my ankle, "Thanks for the save, but I'll be honest. That armor stuff looks pretty dumb," his armor made him look like the Pillsbury Doughboy.

"Ya look like an idiot," Teach groans as he pushes himself up.

"Oh, be quiet," Wash sighs, face turning red, "This move is difficult to pull off, and I have a splitting headache, so I can't concentrate."

"Nope," Teach and I shut him down, "It still looks dumb."

"Damn it…" the Lieutenant groans as he hangs his head in shame.

"Get over it," Teach grunts as the beast gets back up, "That thing won't go down and we just lost our mobile ranged support."

"Yeah," I gulp, "Now I'm stuck down here- _THE MOLOTOVS!_ " my eyes widen as I realize what was in the boat, " _Nonononono come on…_ " I mutter as I dash back to the _Nicholas II_ , searching the redwood floor for the incendiary weapons. All I find is broken glass and alcohol-soaked wood.

" _Shit_ ," Wash growls as he realizes what had happened, "Well, there goes our ace in the hole."

"Yup," Teach grimaces, "Guess we gotta do this the old-fashioned way," he cracks his knuckles, fists turning black as they are coated in Haki.

"No," Washer suddenly puts an arm in front of Teach, stopping him from doing anything, "We have to go into this smart."

"And how do we do that?" I ask, bringing my rifle up, ready to fire, "He took down a Division Commander and wounded two others. You don't just _beat_ that."

The Lieutenant just smirks. "I'm a strategist, remember? Let me strategize."

"I'll hold him off," Teach nods, taking up a stance in front of us, "Ya just make sure we're able to kill this guy."

"I'll try to help," I pipe up, "I might not be as mobile, but I can still hit him… I think…"

"Well, he's a big target, so it shouldn't be _too_ hard," Teach tenses as the monster begins to charge, and I bring about my rifle, determined to see this through.

"Then let's do this."

-( **The Beluga** )-

 _Those idiots are always a handful…_ Nilsson Maria, a nurse of the Whitebeard Pirates and the one in charge of medicine in the Fourth Division, sighed as she placed a bottle of _amoxicillin_ on a shelf with other antibiotics, _Always running this way and that, never taking the time to relax and take in the scenery. They need to learn to calm down_.

She had been with the Whitebeards for three years, joining after she had gotten her Doctorate of Medicine and Philosophy, and made her way up through the medicinal hierarchy of the crew, finally making it to the Chief Physician spot on the Fourth Division. Due to the nature of her schooling, she was already twenty-eight. But _damn_ if she didn't still look good.

" _The Cervical's connected to the Thoracic, the Thoracic's connected to the Lumbar_ ," she hums to herself as she polishes a scalpel - you never know when someone may need Cardio-thoracic surgery! "It's a shame that none of the other staff chose to come with," she sighs after she stops her task, "It's so _boring_ around here… at least I could play a board game with the gals back on the _Moby_ …" the doctor sits on a hospital bed, leaning back onto the uncomfortable plastic. Maria gazes up at the ceiling, listening to the clock on the wall tick back and forth, and she couldn't stand it any longer.

" _Screw this_ ," the professional growls as she practically tears off her nurse's uniform, grateful that the other three left awhile before, and quickly throws on tan cargo pants and a green tank-top, rolling her brown hair into a simple bun. She completes her look by throwing an olive-green jacket, a same colored bag full of syringes, IVs and blood-bags, and matching boots, prepared to explore the town. "Well," she nods as she looks herself up and down in the mirror, admiring the style, "I look _damn_ good if I do say so myself. Now to just find the others and provide aid when needed…" she stares her mirror-self in the eye, trying to hype herself up. Unfortunately, a crawling uneasiness caused her to go over to a drawer a pull out a handful of scalpels, "Alright," she re-consults herself, " _Now_ I'm ready," she straightens confidently and goes to walk out the door-

 _Crash!_

-but the noise of a door being kicked in on the floor above causes the Doctor to jump, heart beating in panic.

" _Search the ship!_ " a muffled voice shouts, " _If any humans are here, cuff 'em! Hody'll need 'em for his army!_ "

 _Hody!?_ Maria grabs a chair and climbs on top, pressing her ear to the ceiling, _As in Hody Jones? That Fishman upstart that Jinbe told Pops about?_

" _What's the ship looking like?_ " a rough, if not young, voice asks the first, " _Any of the Whitebeards here?_ "

" _We just started our search, Hody!_ " the first voice protests, " _You can't expect results immedi-_ Gurk!" the voice is cut off as someone - likely Hody Jones himself - begins to choke him.

" _I get results when I_ say _that I get results_ ," the young Great White Shark Fishman growls from the deck above. Maria hears a small _thump_ \- the random guy slumping to the floor - and Jones shuffles his feet, " _Hyouzou! I want you to check the ship. Make sure those_ humans _aren't stowed away somewhere._ "

" _Got it, Hody,_ " a lazy-sounding Fishman sighs, and his _surprisingly_ soft footsteps make their way down the ship.

 _Shit_ , Maria gulps, glancing around for anything she could use to defend herself, _I'm alone on the ship of the Fifth Division with a crew of rogue Fishmen that want to enslave humans… You got this, girl._

"Hey," a voice down the hallway sounds, and the nurse ducks behind a desk, noticing a bottle of chloroform sitting on top, and she grabs it and a rag, "You ever wonder why we're here?"

"Literally or metaphorically?" another Fishman asks, and the first pauses, thinking.

"Your pick," he shrugs, and his friend sighs.

"How about metaphorically?" the second pirate shrugs, "I mean, it _is_ one of life's great mysteries, after all. Were we put here by some higher power? Or was it just chance that history has played out the way it has? Are we truly in charge of our decisions, or is it just fate? It keeps me up at night, man."

"Yeah, I get what you mean," the first one nods, and their voices were at the open door of the Medical Ward, "I mean, I had this dream the other day that I was a puppet and I was getting moved around by this giant dude with really sharp teeth," he makes fangs with his fingers.

"And how did that make you feel?" Maria asks him, jotting down something on a clipboard.

"Well, it kinda scared me," pirate number one sighed, "I felt powerless in my own dream, like I was just being controlled-" he cuts short as he realizes what happened, "H-h-human-"

"Hello!" Maria grins cheerily before slamming the clipboard over his head with enough force to take him down, " _Now go see a therapist!_ "

"What the fuck!?" the second cries before the nurse stabs a syringe into his neck, and the fast-acting anesthetic knocking him out, " _Ungh…_ "

"I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that was easy," she tenses as she prepares for whatever punishment Murphy would send down upon her for that, but nothing comes, "Oh! Thanks, Murphy," she mutters to no one in particular as she strides down the hall. She makes it to the stairs and walks up to the main deck, using a rag of chloroform to take down every Fishman she meets, and eventually pops her head out onto the deck, where a group of ten or so fishmen stand, a variety of weapons at their disposal. In their midst, Hody Jones stood, tall and imposing, especially considering his young age.

"Those bastard humans assassinated Queen Otohime one year ago!" he roars to his group, "And now more humans come to our shores, ready to destroy our island! Will we let them!?"

" _NO!_ " comes a unanimous cry from the crew, who raise their weapons.

"Then we burn the ship and trap them here," the Great White grins maniacally, "And kill them all after we kill the beast who attacked our district."

That was the last straw. _Fuck this_ , Maria clenched her fists in rage, furious that these Fishmen would attack them when they were trying to _save_ the island. "That's a _lie!_ " she yells as she steps into plain sight, and the group turns to her, startled, "The Whitebeard Pirates came here to save your home, and this is how you repay us!?" the nurse strides up to Hody, staring him in the eye, "By trying to _kill us!?_ "

But for all her anger, Jones just chuckles. "You humans are all the same," he sneers, "Thinking that you own us. But I _refuse_ to be held back by laws you monsters set in place, and I _will_ take down the Whitebeard-"

" _Take it back!_ " Maria screams as she darts behind the Fishman, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back, slamming him into the ground, face on the deck.

" _Hody!_ " the other pirates surge forward, but the phony Captain holds up his free arm, holding them back.

" _No!_ " he growls, "I can deal with a weakling human on my own. You all just get to burning the ship."

" _Don't_ ," Maria hisses, pushing up on Hody's elbow, "Or he loses a perfectly good arm."

The Great White begins to squirm. "Why would you listen to the humaaaaan- _gah!_ " he is cut off as his arm begins to _crack_.

" _Hody!_ " a random minion cries as he raises his sword, charging, and Maria just frowns.

" _Idiot_ ," she hisses as she _slams_ up on Hody's elbow, dislocating the arm, and then pushes herself up.

" _Gyaaaaah!_ " one of his henchmen charges, but she tosses another syringe into that guy's shoulder, "I hate using an unmeasured dose, but it'll have to do."

"H-how?" another one of the henchmen stammers, and she glances at him.

"I may not be a front-line fighter, but I still have to be strong enough to protect myself in combat," the nurse explains, "And also, I live with around sixteen hundred _Whitebeards_. Even with the other three hundred gals on the crew, we need to be able to handle ourselves on our own."

"Hey, boss?" the lazy voice from earlier - Hyouzou, right? - calls from the doorway, and a red octopus Fishman with dreadlocks steps out, six tentacle legs and two arms, "I didn't find any… one…" he trails off as he takes in the scene before him, and sighs, "I don't get paid enough for this…"

"H-Hyouzou!" Hody struggles up from the wooden deck, clutching his dislocated arm, "Perfect timing! I order you to take out this weakling, now!"

"You sure?" the swords-cephalopod yawns, "It looks like you've got this covered pretty well," he takes a swig from his sake bottle, walking towards the railing.

"If you leave, I'm not paying you!" Jones barks, and the octopus just groans as he turns to face Maria.

"I should've listened to mom when I was younger," he sighs, "Settle down, find a good job, marry a nice girl, have kids, and die four months later. Just like dad did. Instead I gotta deal with this crap…" he grips the hilts of his blades, but halts as he catches sight of something behind Hody, "J-J-J-J-" he stammers, trying to say something, and Maria looks at what he saw, smiling.

"What? Spit it out!" Hody orders, but a shadow looms over him, and he turns, his white skin becoming even lighter as the blood drains from his face.

"Greetings, Hody Jones," Warlord 'Knight of the Sea' Jinbe grunted as he kneels down to the other shark's level, "I believe that your mercenary was trying to say 'Jinbe'. I _am_ here, after all."

Hody stammers, caught off-guard. "Wha-? How-? When-?"

"What are you doing here, _Hody Jones_ ," it was more like a statement, not a question, and it held all the commanding force of a leader, "I thought you and your 'crew' were busy _disgracing_ the name of Fisher Tiger down in the Fishman District, not actively trying to get yourselves _killed_."

"These humans that you trust so much are just like the rest!" the Great White growls defiantly, "They just want to take our land-"

" _YOU WILL NOT DISGRACE THE NAME OF OUR SAVIOR!_ " Jinbe roars, striking Jones across the face, sending him flying into the mast, " _WHITEBEARD IS THE GREATEST MAN I HAVE EVER MET, AND YOU WILL_ _ **NOT**_ _INSULT HIM NOR HIS CREW!_ "

" _Boss!_ " the other pirates cry, making to go to him, but a single glare from the enraged Warlord silences them.

" _You will all be quiet_ ," he hisses, and nearly steaming, he strides over to the broken traitor, picking him up by the neck and staring him once more in the eye, " _You will leave this ship and it's crew alone, and you will go back to the Fishman District. Understood?_ " when no response comes, the Whale Shark Fishman tightens his grip, " _ **Understood?**_ "

" _Traitor_ ," Hody hisses as he spits in Jinbe's face, and Jinbe simply tosses his limp form out into the sea with a _splash_. He then turns to the other, terrified members of the crew and Hyouzou, " _Get out of my sight_."

That statement shocks them all out of their frozen states, and every last one rushes in to grab their K. crewmates, finally jumping over the side of the ship. Soon, only Hyouzou is still onboard. "Told him it was a bad idea, " the mercenary sighs before jumping off, Jinbe's glare boring into his back.

"Thanks for the save," Maria breathes after a few moments of silence, "I wouldn't have been able to fight someone with that many swords."

"Don't thank me," Jinbe exhales, letting go of his anger, "Thank that Lieutenant that called me on my Baby Transponder Snail."

"Lieutenant?" the nurse frowns, "Was it Dexter?"

"Yes, he said that he was leaving the ship unguarded," the Warlord confirms, "He sounded quite dry, though."

"That sounds like him…" Maria stretches her back, "Anyways, I was going to go see if I could help out at the big fight. Teach told me that there are some wounds, but that they aren't too bad, so I don't have to worry. But I was bored, so I just wanted something to do."

"Alright," Jinbe nods, "I did not see the battle, but I will accompany you to the field, seeing as how I have evacuated the area of the city already."

"Okay, then," Maria smiles at the large Fishman, extending a hand, "We're partners for the time being."

"Partners," Jinbe takes the hand, shaking it, and the two walk towards the sound of battle, off in the distance.

-(I)-

" _Sonuvabitch!_ " Teach yells as the beast tosses him to the ground, reaching out to grasp his face, and I fire four shots at the hand. The first, second, and third miss, but the fourth one blows it off, bringing the monster's attention to me.

" _Shit_ ," I hiss as I pump my last shot into its chest as it charges, but the shot just embeds in the now-thicker armor. During our skirmish, it had learned to focus all its free bone on the chest area, and now my bullets were just being stuck in and used as extra armor.

" _Bleached Wave!_ " Washer roars from the side, and a flood of bubbles washes away the beast. I glance over, grateful, and see the Lieutenant clutching his skull.

"Are you okay?" I ask, concerned.

"M'fine," the Bubble-Man grunts in pain, waving me off, "It's just a headache."

"Okay…" I nod, "Whatever you say." _That's not just a headache,_ I frown, turning away from him and towards the beast, _It's your fractured skull_.

"Ya got yer plan done?" Teach huffs as he stands up, battered and bruised, still going.

"Yeah," Washer replies, "But it's dependent on Kelly."

"Me?" I ask, shocked, while thinking: _This is getting really Mary Sue here…_

"Well, not actually you, per say," the Lieutenant explains, "More your boat. It was unfortunate that those Molotov Cocktails that Teach made shattered, but we still technically have one left. Your boat."

"The _Nicholas II_ …" I realize, my heart dropping. The boat was currently soaked in very flammable rubbing alcohol, and If we set it on fire, it would burst into a massive fireball, burning the beast alive.

"Kelly?" Wash asks me, "Is it okay with you if we use the boat to beat this guy?"

I think back, back to when my grandfather was still alive, and how often we went out on the small ship when I was younger, fishing and swimming. The times we played games like water balloons on the lake, or mini battleship wars were always amazing memories, and I felt like a part of me and my grandfather was in that boat. _And in order to save those who took me in without any problem,_ I think to myself, _I have to destroy those pieces._ " _I'm sorry, gramps_ ," I hiss under my breath.

"What did you say?" Washer asks me, still waiting for an answer.

"I said _burn the boat!_ " I yell, blinking away the forming tears, "If it's the only way, then do it."

Wash nods in understanding. "I need you to shoot it when it's close to the beast so it can combust," as I nod morosely in understanding, he turns to Teach, "Pick up the boat and get that freak to grab it. I don't care how, just do it."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the titan grunts as he picks up the entire row boat, "I got yer setup right here. One extra spicy cocktail, comin' right up!" he looks around for the beast, "Uh, where is it?"

" _ **KILL!**_ " the beast screams as it charges from behind us, having snuck around the side. It goes for me, but Wash blocks it with a _Bleached Wall_ , and it turns to him.

" _Teach, Kelly, get ready!_ " the Lieutenant yells as the beast begins to charge him, and I reload behind the quickly decaying wall as Wash redirects the bubbles to him.

" _ **RRRRRAUGH!**_ " the beast roars anew, quickly closing the distance, and Washer surrounds his body in another _Bleached Armor_ , standing his ground and swinging a wide right hook, which the monster ducks under, and it pounces on Wash not a moment later, shoving the Bubble-Man to the ground.

But instead of losing his cool, the Lieutenant just smiles in the beast's face. "Got'cha. _Bleached Spear!_ " he yells, and twelve spears of white justice plow forward, forming from the armor, impaling the monster in his joints, stopping his movement, " _Teach, now!_ "

"Don't tell me what to _do!_ " the titan yells as he heaves the ship, flinging it towards the beast, and I bring up my weapon, unsure if I was ready. The boat that I had known my entire life struck the monster, and Wash sent forth a pillar, locking it in place. I aim down the sights and pull the trigger.

 _Bang!_

I miss, and I am shaking now.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

Two more, and I can see the beast's eyes. They were locked with mine, and they had an intelligence. Maybe it was just me, but they looked… human.

 _ **Bang!**_

With that fourth shot, the gun bucks, belching a stream of flame and steel. The shot strikes one of the last memories of my life before my grandfather died, and it goes up in flame, engulfing it and Wash in the heat, but Wash had Bubbles, so he would be fine. But even as the monster's flesh fell from its body, it tore out of the spikes and began walking to me, eyes staring in an unbreakable gaze, and as it arrived in front of me, reaching out to engulf my soul in heat and flame, I panic, dropping the gun-

 _ **BANG!**_

And as the butt of my rifle strikes the ground, the beast falls back. Its chin was a bloody mess, lips torn off. Its nose was just two flaps, now falling over those horrible, unblinking eyes. And halfway in the forehead, there was lodged a chunk of steel and lead.

I fall to my knees, unaware of the pain in my leg, my heart, or in my ringing ears. I forgot everything except the beast, the coral we sat on, and myself. It didn't matter if he was a monster, if he killed, or even if he attacked me. Because I, Ian kelly, had just shot another being.

And killed it.

 **AN: Okay, sorry for the admittedly surprise ending. But, I hope you enjoyed it! See you soon!**


	15. Chapter 15: Guilt

Chapter 15

 **AN: Hey, guys! I'm back with another chapter! Now, I will have multiple timeskips, but I'll try to handle them as good as possible. Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 15

-( **Maria** )-

" _What the hell!?_ " Maria gapes at the scene of pure carnage that was before her, and Jinbe stares on with equal shock, "What happened here!?"

"Maria?" the sophisticated voice of Vista, who was propped up on a rock, his leg still bleeding, sounds, "What are you doing here? I thought you were back at the ship."

"I came because I was bored, but I would've come sooner if I knew that _this_ happened!" the nurse huffs, rushing over to him, and she reaches into her bag, pulling out bandages, a blood bag and an IV. She quickly wraps the wound and hooks up the IV, "Hold still," she tells the swordsman as she pushes the needle into his arm.

"Don't you need to know my blood type?" Vista asks, gritting his teeth.

"You know I already know," Maria replies, "Who got the worst?"

"Go over to where Dexter is," the mustachioed man jabs a thumb towards a slightly crispy Washer, who is releasing bubbles onto a body.

"Dexter?" the Head Physician strides over and taps his shoulder, "How bad are you…" she stops as she sees the limp bodies of Haruta and Raver, both with serious injuries, " _How did this happen!?_ " she asks frantically as she rushes to Raver, inspecting his blood-soaked torso, "Oh god…" she shivers as she sees the hole in his stomach. She places her hand on his neck, and a faint pulse can be felt.

"It was tougher than we expected," Washer groans, clutching his head in pain, "It… it was… too tough… tougher… _ungh_ …" the Lieutenant moans in pain as he clutches his head, collapsing to the ground.

"Wash!" Maria exclaims, but she doesn't leave Raver's side, too worried about the worse injury, "Come on, Raver. You're a _Zoan!_ You're strong enough to survive this…"

"Do you need any help?" a gruff voice asks, and the nurse glances back at Jinbe.

"Apply pressure to these bandages," she tells him, and the Fishman obliges, pressing down of the wad of linen meant to soak up Raver's blood. Once she knows that it is secured, she returns to Wash, "Dexter, what's wrong?" she asks, but is only met with a groan of pain.

"M-Maria?" the Lieutenant is able to spit out, but the Doctor shushes him as she removes his hand from his head, revealing the head injury. And the bleeding.

 _He's having a Hemorrhagic Stroke_ , she realizes. "Dexter, listen to me. I need you to inject bubbles on the interior of your skull. Do you think you can do that?" the Bubble-Man nods as he grimaces, and Maria sees a bubbly pink froth oozing out of his newly cracked skull. _This is a gamble, but he should be immune to his own bubbles. It's a temporary solution, but it'll have to do_ , she thinks as she turns to Haruta, the most broken of the three.

"Maria, how are you?" a cheery Marshall D. Teach asks, walking up.

" _Shut up and go get another surgeon!_ " she barks, and Teach reels back in shock.

"Jeez," the titan huffs as he obliges, slightly cowed by the aggression, "Didn't know it was that time of the month."

"I _heard_ that!" Maria growls, giving him a piercing stare, and Teach speeds up, sweating profusely. The nurse furrows her brow as she turns back to Haruta, "Let's see…"

…

"...This is surprisingly tame compared to the others," she summarizes vocally as she sees the damage, pulling out a syringe and sticking it into a skull fracture, "Cracked skull, broken nose, and burst eardrums. Likely a major concussion, but most bleeding on the skull is external. He lost consciousness, but that's likely the concussion. I can confidently say that he's much better off than Raver or Dexter."

"I don't have as much medical knowledge, but you consider them tame, considering the way you describe them?" Jinbe asks as he maintains pressure on Raver's wound.

"Oh, no," Maria hums as she soaks up blood with a cloth, "I consider them to be _horrible_ injuries. Just more _manageable_."

"I'll take your word for it," Jinbe shifts, and blood oozes from the bandages.

"Careful!" the Doctor barks, "He's just barely alive. His Zoan build gave him survivability, but it won't last long if we let him bleed any more than he has."

"Understood," the Fishman nods, and returns to his previous position.

"Jinbe?" a group of Fishmen walks up, holding stretchers and an assortment of first aid, followed by Teach, "A human came and told us there were wounded."

"Their lives are in danger, and we need to help them," the Warlord responds, "They saved our island from destruction, so we should return the favor."

"Get them on the stretchers! Jinbe's orders," the leader orders the rest, and Maria goes with them, explaining their injuries.

"There are others over here!" another Fishman shouts, pointing to Vista, who leads them to Thatch, Jozu, and Namur.

The group of Doctors and Nurses, alongside Maria, rush to a large red and coral building, pushing the wounded through, and they take Jozu - he had a concussion - Haruta and Washer one way, while they take Namur, Raver, Thatch, and Vista another. Maria herself rushed to help Raver, the one with the worst injuries, and passes out her blood bags to the other Doctors.

"I need a scalpel, antibiotics, the whole schtick," Maria orders, and one of the Nurses shakes her head.

"Ma'am," she starts, "You haven't taken proper decontamination precautions-"

" _We don't have time for that!_ " Maria barks, and the nurse hesitantly hands her a scalpel, "Let's begin."

The surgery was rough. Raver's small and large intestines were severely damaged, so they had to amputate what they could. His liver was torn to hell and back, and one of his kidneys was missing, but one saving grace came when Marshall D. Teach strode into the operating room, holding the charred corpse of the monster.

"Use this to replace the organs," the titan hands the body over to a Fishman Doctor, who places it on another table.

"That thing is burnt," Maria glances over, "It's useless."

"Only the skin was burnt. The bone armor protected the insides long enough so that when the fire died out, the body was fine," Teach explains as the doctors cut through with a bonesaw, and sure enough, a somewhat healthy set of organs was still there. They immediately began transplanting.

"...Thank you, Teach," Maria mutters, and the only response is a grunt of annoyance.

"That thing was heavy as all hell," the titan walks out, "I'm going to go get the kid."

After she watches him go, Maria turns back to the open stomach she was operating on. "Let's save this man's life."

-( **Kelly** )-

I stare at the bare ground in front of me, shellshocked and filled with regret. I had just killed another person, another human being, even if others might say otherwise. All I can feel is my own shame, the coral, and a hand on my shoulder. I glance over, and it is my own, clutching with white knuckles. I see my gun a few feet away, neglected and cold, and I look away.

 _Despite the fact that he's a monster, he didn't have to die like that,_ I think as I hear coral clatter down behind me, and the charred remains of the _Nicholas II_ smoulder in a puddle of soapy water, _This isn't worth it_ , I sigh as I stand up, my legs numb and shaking. I stagger mindlessly over to the old boat, the memories gone, and begin to strip off all of the charred redwood.

I don't know how long I stood there, stripping it all down, but out of the corner of my eye, I could see someone standing there. "Teach," I croak, prying off yet another burnt plank, which crumbles to ash and cinders in my hands, "I already told you to leave me alone," but Teach doesn't move, and I send a harsh glance his way.

"Raver's gonna be fine, kid," the titan responds, ignoring me, "I got the guy's body to Maria. She's using its organs to help him."

"That's good," I grunt, the faintest of smiles appearing, but it leaves as soon as it comes.

Teach sees my guilt, and after a moment, the future traitor shakes his head, "I was supposed to be the one to set him ablaze, Kelly."

"I know," I sigh, ignoring the fact that he used my actual name, "But I was the only one who could have shot it then."

"Need any help with that?" Teach grabs a plank next to me and tears it off, tossing it aside.

"I didn't ask for any, but thanks anyways," I frown, and the two of us slowly dismantle the old redwood boat, one of my only two reminders of my former life already disappearing from sight.

"Little bro," Teach says after a while, "Let me tell ya somethin'."

I glance over, intrigued. "What is it?"

"When I was younger, I was an outcast. A street urchin, if ya will, and every minute I had to steal my way through life. I was in a rough place, working everyday just to be able to eat, but then, when I was in my late teens, Pops took me in, and I became a part of the crew," knowing Teach from the story, he rarely lied outright, being a 'D.', but this was still long-con Teach, so I was skeptical of this story's validity, "I served a while, trying to not get into trouble, but when you're on the crew of the strongest man in the world, you can't stay unknown for long.

"I was on a raid with the Second Division, one of my first, and I was separated from the group by five baddies. Now, I hadn't killed anyone in my entire life at this time, despite my other crimes, and I didn't want to cross the line. But I had no choice," the titan grunts as he removes the last damaged plank on his side, and he moves to mine, "I killed those guys dead."

"And after that?" I ask, wondering where he was going with this.

"After that, the rest of the crew and I saved a group of enslaved people from the ship," Teach states, "We saved them by killin' those that enslaved them."

"..." I don't respond, and the future traitor takes it as a chance to continue.

"What I'm tryin' to say, little bro, is that in the New World, ya sometimes have to kill in order to do somethin' right," Teach explains, "And this was one of those times where it was okay for ya to take him out, because ya saved an entire island from possible death."

"This doesn't seem like you to say something like this," I tell him, and the titan just laughs.

" _Zehaha_. Ye'd be right about that," he sighs, "But I'm the only one who _can_ say it right now."

I grit my teeth as I tear off the last of the damaged planks, and I find that the keel of the ship was relatively undamaged. "Don't remind me," I mutter in response.

"On the bright side," Teach grins at me, "It looks like yer ship's gonna be rebuildable!"

"Yeah," I grin sadly, "That's good."

"C'mon," the titan nudges me as he picks up the keel and a few undamaged boards, "Let's go talk to whoever's awake."

"Alright," I nod, feeling slightly better, but still a bit guilty as I pick up my rifle, "Let's go talk."

-( **Thatch** )-

"Vista?" 'Disco Blade' Thatch asks his surrogate brother as they sit in hospital beds, bandages and braces wrapped around the Fourth Commander's body.

"Yes, Thatch?" comes the gentlemanly reply, "What is it?"

"What went wrong?" the question causes Vista to glance at his crewmate.

"Many things-"

"I'll tell you," Thatch cuts him off, "We weren't ready."

"Thatch?" Vista turns fully to the other Commander, his bandaged leg restricting his movement, and the usually humorous trickster was staring at the ceiling, no joy visible whatsoever.

"We acted like rookies out there, Vista," Thatch grits his teeth angrily, "We let ourselves get overconfident and we paid the price."

"Thatch, the only reason we lost was because you and Jozu didn't listen when I _explicitly_ said it could learn," Vista snaps at him, "You instead rushed in with a plan we had already used and received a few cracked ribs as a prize."

"We lost because we were weak!" Thatch retorts, straining to get up.

"You're acting like a _child_ ," Vista huffs, glaring at his surrogate brother.

" _I don't care!_ " the pompadour roars, and a Fishman pops his head in, curious at the noise. Upon seeing the Commander, he rushes over.

"Sir, you must not move," the doctor fusses, gently pushing Thatch down by the shoulder, "You could damage your ribs."

"Yeah, yeah," the Fourth Commander sighs as the doctor leaves, "I'm done talking to you, _Vista_."

"You never listen to reason, brother," Vista groans, facepalming, "And we suffered because of it," after the tension had died, leaving a sunken feeling, the dual swordsman turns to his friend, "Thatch, if you feel that you need to train in order to become stronger, I will train alongside you as your comrade, but I simply feel that you need to listen to others in combat. You are not the only one angry about this outcome, you know."

"I know," Thatch replies with a depressed tone, which catches Vista's attention. Where had the previous stubbornness gone? "Vista, when was the last time we had a fight like that?"

The question catches the gentleman off-guard. "I… think it was shortly after Roger's execution," Vista recalls, "We were going up against Kaido's crew, and we both brought everything we had. Why?"

"Have you trained your body _any_ from then to now?" the pompadour asks, and Vista thinks.

"Only my skills," the mustachioed Commander shakes his head, "I have not thought to gain physical strength, as no one is superior to us."

"And the Lieutenants and Sergeants usually take care of raids…" Thatch muses, "We've been getting soft…"

"Perhaps we should train, if only to protect our Divisions," Vista thinks on it.

"That was what I meant when I said we weren't strong enough," Thatch explains, and Vista nods in understanding, "We could've taken it down easily if we were as strong as we were then."

"Then…" Vista grits his teeth, "We train," a spike of pain shoots through his leg, "... After we heal."

"Agreed," Thatch groans in pain as his ribs creak.

"Hey, Boss!" the voice of Teach calls from the hallway, "I brought the kid!"

"Oh," Thatch glances to the door, "In here!"

"Did we miss anythin'?" the titan peeks his head in, carrying a pile of wood.

"No, not really," Vista replies, "Everyone is getting patched up as we speak. Raver is still in surgery, but from what I've heard, _someone_ brought the corpse of that monster and the doctors are using its organs to save him."

" _Zehaha_ , guilty as charged," Teach grins, and Kelly squeezes past him and into the room.

-( **Kelly** )-

"Raver's alive?" I ask, and I see Thatch nod. A flood of relief washes over me, the knowledge that no one died serving as a bit of a nullifier to my guilt, "That's good."

"These doctors are efficient," Vista grins, but his smile fades away, "But Raver would have definitely met his end if Maria had not shown up when she did."

"Uh, question?" I ask, confused, and the others look my way, "Isn't it illegal for Fishmen to treat Humans?"

"I'm pretty sure that rule only applies to blood transfusions," Thatch thinks about it, and a grin spreads across his face, "But also, we're Pirates! We don't give two craps about that stuff!"

" _Zehahaha!_ He's right," Teach chuckles, and he begins to leave, "If ya don't mind, Boss, I'mma go drop what's lefta the kid's boat off at the _Beluga_."

"Go ahead," Thatch waves him off, and the titan leaves.

"Sooo," I begin after I know Teach is gone, "Did you guys know Teach can use Haki?"

"Yes."/"Yep!" comes the reply, and I stare, surprised.

"Really?" I ask, and the two nod.

"It is not particularly difficult to detect," Vista shrugs.

"Worst kept secret on the entire crew," Thatch deadpans, and I gulp, still shocked. Of course, they were _Commanders_. How could they _not_ know?

"So, why haven't you assigned him to any missions or something like that?" I ask, and Thatch shrugs.

"I dunno," the pompadour muses, "He never volunteered for anything."

I sigh, the entire situation just getting to be too much, and the exhaustion begins to set in. " _Ungh_ ," I groan, sinking to the floor, "Why did I come with you guys again?"

"You tell us, kiddo," Thatch closes his eyes, "After all, you were the one who played the manipulation game."

"Yeah, but I didn't want it to end like this!" I yell, standing, "Wash having a hemorrhage, Raver almost dying… you guys in a hospital…" I sink back down, my energy gone, "Me… killing…"

"Young Kelly?" I hear Vista ask, and I turn away to hide the guilty tears, the reality of what I had done setting in once more, "Is everything alright?"

"Is it always like this?" I ask shakily, wiping my watering eyes, "Does it always end with someone dying?"

"Sorry, but…" Thatch starts, but he hesitates, "More often than not, yeah. Things out here are hard."

"Will _I_ have to kill any more?" I ask, and I can feel the two Commanders exchanging glances.

"Not if you do not wish to," Vista assures me, "It is your choice and yours alone whether to kill your enemies."

"But this is the New World, kid," Thatch sighs, "Your enemies won't show you the same kindness, and sometimes, you'll have to take a life to save another."

"..." I sniffle, and I get up, gripping the stock of my rifle, "I'm gonna go talk to Wash, okay?"

"That's fine, kid," Thatch says gently, and I walk out, unsettled, as the two Commanders watch me go. I make my way through the hospital, lost in my thoughts, and bump into a large figure, "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" I hastily apologize, staring at the ground in embarrassment, "I wasn't paying attention!"

"I too must apologize," a rough bass replies, "I did not take notice of the fact that you were lost in your thoughts, so we bumped into each other."

 _Wait…_ my mind blanks, _Overly-humble/honorable attitude? Semi-formal speech?_ I look up, and Warlord Jinbe is bowing in apology, _What the fuck?_

Jinbe notices me staring at him, and he stares back. "Aren't you the young man that defeated the beast?" he asks after a bit of silence, and I grimace.

"Yeah," I sigh, depressed, but a _thump_ snaps me out of it, "What the-" I stop as I see Jinbe had slammed his head to the floor.

"Thank you for destroying that monster!" the Warlord states, and I can feel a single bead of sweat drift down my neck.

"Uh…" I stand, speechless, "...You're… welcome…" I mumble as I awkwardly pat his shoulder.

"That aside," Jinbe stands and brushes himself off, "I was sent by your doctor, Maria, to go get you, something about not trusting someone, but here you are."

"What did she say she wanted?" I ask, and Jinbe scratches his beard.

"She did not say, but I will take you to her," the Fishman begins walking, and I tag behind.

Something had been nagging at the back of my mind for a bit, namely how Jinbe is so powerful, so I ask. "Jinbe, I heard that you were as strong as a Whitebeard Commander. How? You use Haki, right?"

"Very perceptive," Jinbe smiles, "I have known many bright minds, but few can tell a Haki user apart from everyday people."

 _It helps that I knew it beforehand_ , I think to myself, and I just smile back. "Yeah, I kinda have a bit of a knack for it."

"Useful," the blue titan grunts, "But alongside my Haki, I use Fishman Karate to give me an advantage in battle."

"Fishman Karate manipulates the water inside the body, right?" I implore as we round a corner.

"Yes," Jinbe huffs, surprised, "How did you know that? Have you taken courses yourself?"

 _Crap, I said too much_ , I gulp nervously, and Jinbe glances back. "J-just read about it somewhere," I stammer after a few seconds of scrutiny.

" _Hm_ ," the Warlord narrows his eyes, "We're here," he leads me to a door, "Maria is inside," I nod nervously as I open the door, Jinbe's eyes on my back.

"Kelly, how are you?" Maria smiles at me as I close the door, "It's been a few hours."

"Hi, Maria," I wave at her. She was sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, and wasn't wearing the nurse's outfit, but some kind of combat fatigues. Neato.

"Take a seat," the brunette gestures to a seat near the back wall, and I oblige. She turns the chair to me, and pulls out a clipboard and pen, "So, I heard that you killed the monster."

 _Oh,_ I realize, _It's gonna be one of_ those _meetings_. "Yeah, I did."

"Well, I think that you already know why you're here," Maria tosses aside the clipboard and leans forward, "So talk to me."

 _Might as well…_ I sigh, and just _talk_. "Maria, I never wanted to kill _anyone_ , even if they did what that beast did."

"Makes sense," the nurse nods, and I continue.

"A few months ago, I lost my grandpa to cancer, and he told me to always appreciate life. Only hours ago, I just took another life, and went against every moral I have," I confide, "And, despite the fact that this _thing_ killed multiple people, and I might have been justified, I still feel _guilty_. I don't know whether or not he had a family, friends, or whether he was even in _control_ of himself. What if he was purely a victim of chance? Just bad luck? What then? Is it still justified?" I finish my rant, my heart racing, and groan, "Sorry, I just- I don't want to be- I don't want to go down _that_ road," I place my face in my hands, but a hand on my shoulder causes me to look up.

"Don't think too hard about it," Maria crouches in front of me, smiling gently, "It's happened and you can't take it back, even if it _was_ an accident. You did what you had to and saved lives, and that's all that matters now."

I sigh, not really feeling any better. " _Hrm…_ "

"Hey," she forces me to look her in the eyes, "Don't think about it, okay?"

"Alright…" I mumble.

"Good!" she nods, and she guides me out of the room and to a room with beds in it, "Now, I'll need you to lay down here and try to get some sleep."

"Alright," I smile, exhausted, and oblige, laying down on one of the beds. The doctor turns away from me and pulls something out of her satchel.

"How heavy are you?" she asks.

"One-fifty," I answer, not worried about why she asked, and close my eyes.

"Okay, this should be good," Maria muses, and I frown.

 _What about what-?_ I start, but a sharp _prick_ in my arm snaps my eyes open. " _Ow!_ " I yelp, and as I look down I see a needle stuck in my vein, and Maria injects an unknown fluid into my system, "What the- hell… was… tha… t…" I trail off as the anesthesia takes effect, and I slip into sweet, sweet oblivion.

-(I)-

"He- -ake so- -e su- -e- -fi-" voices swirl inside my head as a strange darkness begins to clear, my body waking up.

"Who's there?" I ask, and every noise stops.

"He- -kin- -u-" a voice says, and light begins to fill my vision, my eyelids fluttering open.

"How y- -doi- -g kid- -do?" the voices are becoming more clear, and orange hair fills my vision, "You've been out for a few days."

"Who?" I croak, finally waking up, and take in the scene around me. I wasn't in the hospital that I had passed out in, but was back in that same medical ward that I had woken up in a week earlier, when my now-healed burns were covering my body. A group of four people were sitting around, one with blue hair, another with black, one with red, and one with orange, "Wait… Sergeant Leon?"

"Guilty as charged," Leon grins, "But call me Lieutenant Leon! After all, I _did_ get temporarily promoted!"

"Which is _bullshit!_ " Karen screams from the corner, sitting in a chair, " _I've_ always been the strongest of us, so _I_ should've replace Raver!"

"You're just jealous, sugartits!" Levi scoffs, counting a couple berri bills in the corner, "Face it, the cheetah thought Leon would be a better replacement for him, so just suck it up like everyone else!"

" _Shut the hell up!_ " the vixen screams, " _And if you call me sugartits_ _ **one**_ _more time, you're dead!_ " Levi just rolls his eyes.

"Guys, shut it," Leon growls, and the two stop, "Anyways, how're you feeling, kid?"

"Raver's alive?" I ask, and Leon nods.

"Yeah, but he's in bad shape," the Serg- Lieutenant explains, "He won't be able to exert himself for about a year, but he should recover in time. Meanwhile, he chose me to replace him as a Lieutenant!"

"Oh, so… who's going to replace you?" I ask, and Leon gestures to me, which is shocking.

"You, if you want to," the orange haired man shrugs, "I mean, I get to choose, and I heard how powerful that gun of yours is, so why not? You're pretty unique, and you killed that monster, so you kinda have a 'legendary' status right now with the Fishmen. That's pretty chill, right?"

My mood dies as I remember what I did. "Yeah, awesome."

"Hey, why so down?" Leon asks, sounding like a father trying to get his kid into something, "You're getting asked to become a Sergeant! I mean, you're gonna have to get _much_ stronger and learn something close-range stuff to even stand a _chance_ , but still! How cool is that!"

"I didn't _want_ to kill it," I grit my teeth, and look around, "Where's my stuff?"

"Your gun's right here," Leon answers, pulling my rifle out from behind his back, and he holds it out to me.

"Thanks," I nod, taking the gun, and I pull down the lever, "I wonder- _gah!_ " I yelp as an empty shell pops out, striking me in the face.

" _That thing was loaded!?_ " I hear Levi screech, and I pick up the cartridge from where it fell on the bed.

"Why are you asking that?" Leon turns to him, "You weren't messing around with it, were you?"

"I… _may_ have pressed on the trigger a few times…" the black-haired swordsman chuckles weakly.

" _Idiot_ ," Karen growls as she knocks him over the head, sending him to the ground.

"It's empty," I mutter as I stare at the empty shell. I knew that no one had reloaded the weapon - only I knew how to - and I knew that this shell was the shell of the bullet that killed the beast. I grit my teeth, heart pounding, and I'm barely aware of Leon beginning to shake me, asking what's wrong, "Sorry, what?" I ask as I allow myself to be shaken out of it.

"I asked if everything is okay," Leon repeats.

"I don't even know anymore," I groan, "My own morals say that it's wrong to kill, but everyone around me is saying that it _is_ okay, even if it should only be used on cruel people."

"Then do not kill, mister Sleepy-time," a blue-haired Sergeant says, staring through my soul.

"Johnson!" Leon exclaims in surprise, "I… honestly forgot you were here."

"What did you say?" I ask the man, and Johnson repeats.

"Mister Sleepy-time is very tired," the Sergeant mutters, and I stare at him incredulously.

"Nevermind…" I groan, seeing how pointless it is to ask him, "Anyways, how long was I out?"

"Dude, it was _crazy!_ " Levi yells, "You were K. for _five days!_ "

" _Five days!?_ " I blanch, and Levi nods.

"Yeeeah, Maria put you to sleep because you were wandering around like a lost puppy," the Sergeant explains, "But she had to use the tranquilizer that the Fishmen use, and she was a bit off in her calculations - something about your body having a severely weakened muscle structure compared to the rest of the crew - and you ended up asleep, even up until when the _Moby Dick_ arrived."

"So, is everyone okay?" I ask, and Leon pats my back.

"Everyone is on the road to recovery," the gunman assures me, "And King Neptune agreed to not tell the Marines about this, so no one got a bounty increase. I just hope you accept the Sergeant offer. We don't really have anyone better…"

"I mean…" I grin hesitantly, "I _guess_ I can take the position."

"That's good, kid," Leon grins, and Karen slams a fist into her palm, demonic flames almost materializing.

"This'll be _fun_ ," the vixen growls ferally, and I squeak in fear.

"What is going on in here?" a grey-haired man asks as he opens the door, "I thought I told you to keep it down because you'll wake- oh, Kelly! You're awake. That's good."

"Hey Wash!" I wave at the Lieutenant, "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine," Washer replies, "Maria repaired my head, so I'm just waiting to heal. How're you?"

"Well, I'm feeling a bit better, considering the circumstances," I reply, and the Lieutenant nods encouragingly.

"Yeah, Maria told me about that," the Bubble-Man muses, "I'm not going to say much, but I _am_ going to say that what you did saved lives. If it's between killing or letting innocents die, you should always choose the former."

" _Wash!_ " Leon barks, and his fellow - still getting used to that - Lieutenant raises an eyebrow.

"What? I was just trying to be supportive with some advice," Washer replies, and Leon just shushes him.

"Your anti-social ways have no place here," the father shakes his head, shaming Wash.

"No, Wash is right," I mutter, and Leon turns to me, shocked, and I feel motivated, _strong_ , "If I have to do that again… _Hrn…_ but I'm going to get strong enough that I don't _need_ to kill anyone!" I exclaim, throwing off the bed sheets.

" _Gah!_ " Levi shrieks, shielding his eyes, "Put some clothes on!"

"...What?" I ask, looking down at my bare chest and shorts, "But I have shorts on, so what's the big deal?"

"Wait, you _aren't_ wearing one of those hospital shirt-things?" the swordsman asks, and I shake my head.

"Nope," I then realize that I still have the bullet shell in my hand, and I stare at it, thinking. _This all seems so fast,_ I glance to the side, _It's been only a week, but in that time I joined the Whitebeards, went to Fishman Island, and helped save it. Now I'm being asked to train so I can be a Sergeant, even if it_ is _only because of my gun and the fact that this Arin guy isn't liked_ …

"Kelly?" Wash asks, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Is that the thing you used to take that guy down?" he gestures to the cartridge.

"Yeah, it's the cartridge of that bullet. Why-? _hey!_ " I bark as he snatches it out of my hand. The Lieutenant forms a thin spike with his finger and with one swift jab, stabs through the rounded side in the middle. He then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a jumble of rope, and slices off a length of it. He then strings it through the holes on either side, creating a necklace.

"Here," Wash holds it out to me, "You still feel regret, right? Well, this way you'll always have a reminder of what you say is your mistake, so you can stick to your morals."

"Oh!" I smile, thankful, "That's really kind of you, Wash! Thanks!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the Lieutenant shrugs as he leaves, "I was called by Pops, so I'll see you guys later."

"See ya, Boss!" Levi chuckles.

"Yeah, see ya!" Leon and Karen echo. As the grey-haired man rounds the corner, Leon turns to me, "So, you wanted to get stronger, right?" I nod, and he continues, "Then the best way to do that is even out your skills. You're already doing good enough with that rifle of yours, so how about we get you something close-range."

"Like a shotgun?" I ask, and Levi dope-slaps me.

"Nah, dumbass! Like a club or something! Hand-to-hand!" he leans in, "What do you want me to teach you?"

"Why you?" I ask, "Leon has the most experience, right?"

"Yeah, but orangey is better at range, and I have a sword," he asks again, this time, much, _much_ closer, "So, again. _What do you want ol' Levi to teach ya?_ "

I think, seriously giving it thought. _This could save my life sometime in the future. It's what'll help me against close-range fighters_ , I scrutinize all weapons that I can think of, _Club? No, too heavy. Staff? Too long to be effective in close situations. Sword? Ugh, no. It needs to be light and easy to carry, but not so light that it'll shatter. Hm… I got it!_ I tap my hand on my palm.

"Got an answer?" Levi aks, and I nod.

"Knives," I reply, "I want to learn how to use knives."

 **AN: Aaaaand that's the chapter! Anyways, if you have any ideas or criticism, just PM me or leave a review! See ya next chapter!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 **AN: Whew! The first arc is over, and I'm not dead! Sorry for the really late upload, by the way, I had a lot of schoolwork and some personal stuff I had to deal with. In other news, I was told by Miep42 and Seeker of Immortality that the large amount of characters can make it difficult to remember everyone, and Miep suggested that I add little reminders for each character whenever they appear, so I'mma do that from now on whenever a character (OCs mostly) that we haven't seen for awhile shows up, yeah? Also, I'm going to reign back in my focus on Kelly's POV, and focus on only him and a few other characters at a time, so that I'm not switching so often Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 16

"Knives!?" Levi - the swordsman Sergeant of the Fourth Division with black hair and a pervy attitude - gapes at me as if I'm an idiot, "Why _knives!?_ "

"Yeah, they aren't exactly common," Karen - the _very_ angry red-haired Sergeant of the Fourth Division - scoffs while Johnson - the blue-haired idiot Sergeant - chops at the air with his hands behind her.

"Well," I shrug timidly, a bit miffed about all the negative lashback, "They're really light and have a ton of purposes! Like deflecting swords and being thrown."

"Anything can deflect a sword, and you can throw any weapon," Leon - the previous orange-haired Sergeant who has a family and recently got promoted - cocks his head to the side, "But then you don't have a weapon to fight with. Give us a better reason."

"I…" I start, but I can't think of a better reason. See, the thing is, I always liked learning about medieval combat, and the Baselard, a type of long dagger, was used as a secondary weapon for archers, "What can I say? They're good secondaries," I shrug.

"But there are _so many_ different weapons that are easier to learn!" Levi groans, running his hands down his face, "I mean, if you're looking for a sturdy, light weapon that you can use in close combat, why not an axe or hatchet? Those are effective!"

"Nope," I shut him down, crossing my arms in an 'X', "Axes are heavier and only have three uses in combat," I explain, bringing up three fingers, "Hacking or slashing, bashing, and disarming with the hook," I bring one finger down for each.

"They're reliable, though," Leon brings up a good point, but I wheel on him.

"Think about my current physical strength," I tell him, and he nods, "Now, how strong do you think I am?"

He thinks about it. "With your build… I'm guessing you can lift fifty pound dumbbells?"

"Ah, no," I shake my head, "I can usually only lift twenty pounders, _max_ , and I usually bench seventy-five."

"Oh," the newly-christened Lieutenant's eyes widen in understanding, " _Oh_."

"Yeah," I huff, "If I try to disarm with the hook, I'm more likely to lose _my_ weapon."

"You're weak," Levi scoffs, "So what? It doesn't mean that you won't get stronger."

" _Idiot_ ," Karen snaps at her fellow Sergeant, "Anything a hatchet can do, a knife can do as well. Want to bash someone's head in? Use the knife's guard or pommel. Want to have a bit of weight behind your hits? Use a bigger blade. Want to disarm? Deflect the enemy's weapon and slash at the wrist. It requires finesse instead of brute force."

"Oh, this is _rich_ coming from _you_ ," Levi retorts, "Remind me again why Pops doesn't let you use your _kusari-fundo_ and _kusari-shoge_ in training?" he talks again before she can reply, "Oh, that's right! It's because you _brutalize_ whoever you fight!"

"Chain weapons require finesse!" Karen barks, steam rising from her skin.

"You spin around like a top!" Levi rages, smashing his forehead into hers, and the two push back and forth.

" _I am yelling too!_ " Johnson screams as he slams his own head into theirs, sending them both crashing into the wall. The dim-witted Sergeant just smiles, "Mr. Carrot! I won! _Are you proud of me?_ " he whispers the last part, and I hear Leon sigh.

"Yes, Johnson," the Lieutenant groans, facepalming, "I'm… _proud_ of you."

"Yaaaaay," the blue-haired Sergeant grins, " _I am the best_."

The Lieutenant nods. "Now, could you go see if anyone else wants to play with you? We're busy right now."

"Yes, Mr. Orange Peel!" the idiot salutes as he walks backwards out of the room, "I will never forget your orangey goodness!" I wince as he says it, and Leon shakes his head.

"Jesus, that sounded wrong," he mutters under his breath, "Anyways," the newly-christened Lieutenant turns to the other two Sergeants, "Now, you two stop arguing. If Kelly wants to learn knives, then you will _both_ work _together_ to teach him knives."

"Fuck off, 'Mr. Orange Peel'," Levi growls, "I ain't working with this bitch."

" _What was that?_ " Karen growls from next to him.

"You know what I said," the swordsman grits his teeth as he struggles up, splinters of wood falling off of him.

"Levi, Karen," Leon says sternly, "I hate to pull rank on you, but if I have to, I _will_. You two _will_ work together and you _will_ teach Kelly how to use knives effectively, no matter _how_ stupid you think they are. That's an order, understand?" when he hears no response, he glares at them, "I _will_ call Johnson back if you refuse."

"Ugh, fine, _dad_ ," Levi snorts, "But we teach my way - each of us take alternate days and teach him different aspects."

"Fine by me," Karen huffs back, cracking her knuckles, "As long as I can beat the crap out of him, I don't care."

 _Fuck_ , I gulp in fear, and Leon notices.

" _Karen_ ," he glares, and the vixen just rolls her eyes.

" _Shut up_ ," she frowns, "Just because you're a Lieutenant now doesn't mean you get to order me around."

"Technically," Leon smirks, "I _do_."

" _You little-!_ " Karen starts, making to attack the orange-haired man, but she stops, and storms past him, out the door, slamming her shoulder into his on the way, "You better watch your back, Leon. Never know when an 'accident' may happen."

"What a bitch," Levi snorts, and Leon biffs the back of his head with a _slap_ , " _Ow!_ What the hell, man!"

"That's for arguing with her about a pointless concept," the gunslinger frowns, one hand on his pistol. Meanwhile, I was just watching the entire scene, quiet and unsure of what to do.

However, I decide to finally pipe up. "So, when does training begin?" I ask, confused, "You never really mentioned that…"

" _Goddamnit…_ " Levi sighs, exasperated, "I'll start tomorrow, but I can explain some of the basics now. Got nothing better to do. Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure!" I grin cheerily, but Leon moves in front of the door.

"You can't leave this room until Maria or one of the Nurses comes to check on you," the Lieutenant crosses his arms into an 'X', "You can talk in here."

" _Ugh_ ," Levi rolls his eyes, then perks up as he thinks of something, "Oh! Could you go get my sword? I want to give the kid a physical example of a blade."

Leon hesitates, unsure, and frowns. "Why can't you do it?"

"Because I wanna get as much explanation as possible," the swordsman grins mischievously, "Just _trust_ me!"

The orange-haired CO furrows his brow, obviously not fooled. " _Curse my trusting nature_ … _Fine_. But you _will_ stay here," he orders, and Levi gives him a mock salute.

"Aye-aye, Cap'n!" the perv smirks, and with one last stare, Leon leaves. Then, as the door closes behind him, Levi rushes up to it and places his ear against it.

I stare, knowing what he was doing, but not knowing _why_. "Why are you-?" I start, but he shushes me with one hand. _Rude_ , I think to myself.

"Quiet," he hisses, and his cocky grin gradually grows into a full-blown smile, "A'ight, he's gone," the Sergeant gestures me over, "Just follow my lead."

 _Wow, really?_ I groan internally, rolling my eyes, _We're doing_ this _now?_

The swordsman notices, and gives me a confused look. "What?"

"Leon told us to stay in the room," I state, "And I'm not planning to get my future Sergeant title stripped away right after I got it."

"Oh, _come on!_ " Levi throws his hands up, exasperated, "You gotta live a little, kid! You can't just follow others your whole life!"

"If I go, aren't I just following you?" I retort, and the Sergeant grinds his teeth together in irritation. We both knew that I got him. _Good job, Ian_ , I think as I smirk.

"Just shut up and follow me," Levi grunts, opening the door and slipping out.

 _Whatever_ , I think as I begin to follow, but my eyes drift to a pile of medical pillows sitting near the bed, and I grin mischievously as I set my rifle down, my new necklace bouncing against my chest, _Now there's an idea…_

-(I)-

"What took you so long?" Levi asks from the opposite wall he was leaning against as I slip through the door, gun in hand, "Leon'll be back any minute!" the perv was wearing a purple short-sleeve polo, with black jeans, purple-rimmed sunglasses, and matching tennis shoes, his black hair messy.

"Oh," I give him a sly grin, "Just making sure we don't get found out."

"What do you…" Leon starts, confused, but dawns a look of demonic understanding as he looks past me, "Oh, you damn _genius_."

" _Hehe_ ," I snicker, "Thanks. What now?"

"Now," the Sergeant shrugs as he walks down the hallway, "We talk. Where to begin…"

"Actually," I interrupt him as I finger the bullet shell hung around my neck, "I thought about something while I was back in the room. What happened to that Devil Fruit?"

"The Fruit?" Levi muses, "Well, after you blew that monster thing's brains out, Maria used its organs to save Raver, and we found the Fruit in a crate of apples in the hospital storage. Now it's sitting in our storage bay until the Old Man decides what to do with it."

"It's good that we got it instead of anyone else," I sigh, a weight I didn't know I had lifting off my chest, but another weight builds and I panic as I remember my boat, the _Nicholas II_ , "Wait, _what about my boat?_ " I ask frantically.

The Sergeant furrows his brow. "The scrap wood that Teach gave the shipwrights?" my heart sinks as I hear the description, "They said that they'll try to rebuild it, but it'll take some time to get the materials for it, so don't expect anything soon."

"Thank god," I sigh in relief, "I would've lost one of my only reminders of home…"

"Yeah, I get you," Levi nods sagely as we go down some stairs, "I only have my sword as a reminder of my shitty home-"

 _BOOM!_ /"Woah!"

Unfortunately, the swordsman is cut off when a _massive_ explosion rocks the ship, unbalancing him and causing me to collapse on the deck. _What the hell!?_ I gulp as I regain my senses, and Levi helps me stand. "What was that!?" I ask, and Levi is just as confused as I am.

"I don't know," the Sergeant scoffs, "An attack?"

"But who's suicidal enough to attack a crew of sixteen hundred?" I ask, trying to think about who it could be. _We're docked at Fishman Island…_

"The Marines," Levi shrugs, and I open my mouth to respond, but close it. He had a point.

" _Move it, move it!_ " a large, unarmed group rushes down the stairs, passing us, and Levi grabs one of them.

"Sergeant Levi!" the pirate - a man with a large nose and bleached hair - salutes as he recognizes him, "What is it?"

"What's going on, grunt?" Levi asks, and the man hesitates.

"That's what we're going to find out, sir!"

"Alright," the Sergeant growls in frustration as he lets the man go, "Get going," the man follows his team, and Levi calls after him, "And don't call me sir! Makes me seem like an asshole."

 _You_ are _an asshole_ , I think to myself as I finally regain my footing, and brush myself off. "Should we follow them?" I ask, and Levi nods.

"Yeah. If someone is attacking, their unarmed asses'll need help," we both make to follow, but Levi is suddenly knocked to the floor by an unknown force.

"The hell-?" I wheel around, searching for the assailant, and a ripple in the air catches my attention. I blink, thinking I'm seeing things, and when I open them back up, the ripple is gone.I turn to Levi, reaching out a hand, and he takes it. "Did you… lose your balance?" I ask in an attempt to ease the tension as I help the Sergeant up, all the while my mind racing to understand what had happened. _I couldn't see anything, and we're still at Fishman Island, those have to have_ some _kind of correlation, right?_ an itching at the back of my mind forms, and I start thinking, _The only person close enough could be Hody Jones, but he isn't active yet, right? Wait, when did Queen what's-her-name die…?_

"No," Levi glares around us, " _Something_ ran into me. It wasn't visible."

 _Invisible! That's it!_ I tap my fist on my palm in a 'eureka' moment. "Levi," I ask, "Do you know someone called Hody Jones?"

"That Fishman that leads the New Fishman Pirates? Yeah," comes the response, "Why?"

"Because I think that one of his subordinates did this," I glance back at where I saw the ripple, "And I think he might've taken something."

"That's good and all, but I think that we have bigger problems," Levi jerks a thumb at farther down the hall, where water is starting to flow from, "The attack was on one of the lower storage levels, and it looks like it's flooding. We've should probably go patch that up."

"But shouldn't we go after the invisible guy if he took something?" I cock my head, and the Sergeant shakes his head.

"I would think the ship we live on is more important," Levi rolls his eyes, and I follow him through the water. When we arrive in the storage room, a surge of water almost pulls me down, but Levi drags me up, "Look, there!" he points at the breach, a hole big enough for two or three people to pass through, and armed Fishmen are streaming through, the unfortunately _un_ armed crewmates from earlier meeting them head-on.

"I see why you said we should come," I gulp as the two groups collide, the disadvantaged Whitebeards still putting up a hell of a fight, instead using fists to break bones.

"Yeah, they need us," Levi smirks cockily at the first Fishman, "You got any ammo for that thing?" he asks and points at my rifle, and I search my pockets only to come up short.

"I got nothing," I shake my head, and Levi points to a pile of crates.

"Look in those, there should be guns, ammo, and other such tools of mischief," the Sergeant crouches, preparing to leap, "Get your ass moving. _Shave!_ " he orders before blurring forward, appearing moments later with his foot in the gut of a sword-wielder, catching the sword as it drops to the ground. As he attacks the rest, I turn to the boxes, staring up at the pile.

 _Alright, Ian_ , I tell myself, _You can do this_ , I leap onto the first box, and using the butt of my rifle, I bash in the wooden lid to find a collection of lead balls, but no rifles or ready ammunition, let alone swords. _This is gonna take a while…_ I groan as I keep climbing, cracking open the crates as I go, but I only find food and more lead bullets. I'm about to open my fifth crate when a saber soars in from nowhere and buries itself in the wood next to my head. " _Holy shit!_ " I screech as I stare at the weapon, it having almost killed me.

"Hey, kid!" Levi calls from below, running another Fishman through with his substitute blade, "I got you a sword, so get your ass down here and help me out!"

"But I don't know how to use this!" I yell back, and the Sergeant tosses the limp body into the bottom box, causing the entire stack to shake, catching me off-balance, " _Wa-a-aaugh!_ " I scream as I lose my balance, falling towards the water, but the wind is knocked out of me as I jerk to a stop via Levi.

"Jeez, you're useless," Levi grumbles as he sets me down and sticks one hand into the air, catching a crate, and he tosses it aside with a _crash_ , opening it and sending all sorts of blades spilling out.

" _What the hell!?_ " I rage after I regain my breath, "You almost _killed_ me!"

The Sergeant shrugs as he bops a charging Fishman in the face with his sword pommel, knocking him out. "But I didn't," he glances at the crate of blades he tosses aside, and sees something, "Oh! Perfect!" he strides over through the water and tosses aside his saber, reaching down and grabbing two weapons, "Now _this_ is more my style!" he grins as he brings up a medieval-style two-handed longsword, tilting it from side to side, testing the weight. The blade was steel, a little more than three and a half feet in length, and a broad fuller evened out the weight. The steel pommel looked like one large rectangular spike, with a matching crossguard.

"Is there a weapon for me?" I ask as a Fishman notices me, "Because I am _not_ in the mood to become fish food!"

"Yes, squirt, there is," Levi cocks an eyebrow as he tosses what appears to be a _very_ long medieval dagger to me, and I squeak as I fumble with it, finally grabbing the hilt.

As I hold the weapon, relieved that I hadn't made _too_ much of a fool of myself, I inspect it. It was short and light, about one and three-quarters feet long, with the blade thicker at the hilt, then curving gradually into a sharp point at the end. A slight fuller was carved into the middle of the steel. The grip was wrapped in leather, the pommel and crossguard glinting, "Wait, is this…?"

"Yep! That's a Baselard," Levi grins, "An extra large dagger that's about as long - but lighter - than a shortsword."

"It's… light," I blink in surprise, "Like, _really_ light. How heavy is this?"

"That one would probably be around…" the Sergeant frowns, thinking, "One pound? Pound and a half? About there."

"Wow…" I smile, tilting the blade like Levi did. The weight was all focused around the hilt, just like the foils in that fencing class I failed at. At least I was used to it, right? "It's weight is shocking."

"Hey!" a voice yells, and I notice a group of about three Fishmen trying to surround the two of us, the Whitebeards they were fighting lying bloody in the water. The sight scares me a little, but my slowly building anger negates it, "We outnumber you, human scum! Give up and let us kill you!"

Levi rolls his eyes, seemingly not caring about the two likely dead men in the water. "Hey brat, remember when I said that training starts tomorrow?" he asks, and I nod, "Well, I take it back. Consider this your first lesson. Let's do the basics."

"No need," I glare at the pirate nearest me, "I already know the standard instructions. I took a fencing class a few years ago."

"Fencing is poking and stabbing," Levi brings up his blade, left elbow above his head and right arm tucked against his stomach in what I recognize as the german longswording 'Ox' stance, "And this ain't no weak little poke," I notice that he's holding the blade left-handed, and I raise an eyebrow.

"You're left handed?" I ask. I, myself, am right dominant, so I was holding my Baselard in that hand.

"Ambidextrous," Levi huffs, "But that's not important now. Now, we lay down the damage."

"Ah, one rule, though?" I say before he goes to attack, "No killing."

"..." he doesn't respond, thinking, but scowls, "I don't care."

"Please?" I ask, but he doesn't even make any sort of acknowledgement, and I'm left with an uneasy feeling.

"Stop ignoring us, you damn humans!" the Fishmen lunge at us, two going for Levi and one for me.

" _Here they come!_ " I remark as the Fishman - a blue tuna, I think? - brings his cutlass overhead, slashing in a straight vertical with insane speed. I step to the side, turning my body and straightening into a rod, and the attack soars down, striking the water with a _splash_ , " _Ha!_ " I yell as I exploit the Fishman's dropped guard, and I jab forward, my Baselard sinking an inch or two into his shoulder.

" _Argh!_ " the pirate cries, and he uses his free hand to bat me aside, sending me crashing into the freezing water.

 _Cold! Cold!_ I think as I surge upwards, the near foot of water soaking my shorts.

"You little shit!" I hear a burst of rage, and I turn to see the Fishman slashing at me from my side, and I bring about my blade to block.

 _Clang!_ our blades clash, his strength overpowering mine, and it sends my blade back towards me. I jerk my head to the side and wince in pain as the cold steel slides across my left cheek, slicing open the flesh from my back teeth to my jaw, and I stumble back. As I stand, staring at my foe, I can feel the blood flowing from the wound, but it thankfully was shallow enough that it didn't reach the interior of my mouth.

" _Prendi, figliolo!_ " a cry of what sounds like gibberish reaches my ears, and I risk a glance over at Levi. I catch a glimpse of him ramming his shoulder into one of his Fishmen, arms back with blade at shoulder level, and the weapon is driven into the pirate's stomach as the Sergeant hits him, and the Fishman collapses into the water, dead. Levi then spins like a top, bringing his sword down and around to slash across the other Fishman's neck, and that pirate, too, collapses.

" _Raugh!_ " a battle cry turns my attention to my own problem, who is swinging in from the side opposite his last strike.

" _Rrrrgh_ …" I growl as my new scratch stings with the now-salty air, and anger wells up inside, new frustration bursting, and I _explode_ , " _Fuck you!_ " I roar, rearing back with my Baselard, and I charge, sliding on my knees through the water, under his blade, and I bring my weapon across his calf, cutting as deep as I can - which, admittedly, is only like half an inch.

"Gah!" the Fishman yelps in pain as he grasps at the wound, dropping his sword, "Little bastard human!"

" _Shut up!_ " I roar at him, turning the long dagger sideways and slamming the flat of the blade against his head, jerking his skull, "I'm six foot one!" unfortunately, my strike didn't knock him out, only seeming to make him angry, so I try again.

 _Conk!_

" _Ow!_ the Fishman winces as I hit him again, and I gulp as I try again…

 _Bonk!_

" _Ow!_ "

 _Clang!_

" _That hurts!_ "

 _Boink!_

" _Why won't you just go unco-o-oncious!?_ " I screech, staring at the now-bruised head of the Tuna Fishman, and I rear back my blade once more, but the Fishman lashes out with his hand, catching my arm.

"I'm going to kill you, human," the pirate scowls, crushing my limb and forcing me to drop my Baselard, "You and that damn friend of yours-"

" _Double team!_ "

"What?" the Fishman manages to get out before Levi bashes his head with his sword pommel.

"Kid…" Levi deadpans as the pirate collapses, unconscious, his sword resting on his shoulder, "That was kinda pathetic. I had to step in."

" _Bite me_ ," I snap back, and the perv just smirks.

"That any way to treat you master, my young apprentice-uru?" he mock-bows, putting on a fake Japanese - although I suppose it would be Wanoian? - accent, "I must give you thirty lashes for this show of disrespect-uru."

"That's racist," I point out, and he turns quickly on a dime, slapping the side of my head with his blade.

" _Whoops!_ " he muses, "I accidentally hit you! _Sorry_ about that."

" _Dick_ ," I mutter as I flip him the bird, "We should get going after that invisible guy."

"Oh?" Levi chuckles, "But I wanted to beat the crap out of these guys some more!"

"Well…" I start, but a new wave of Whitebeards - armed this time - stream past us, overwhelming the Fishmen, "I think they've got it handled."

"Fine, fine, I see your point," the swordsman shrugs, "Let's go get that invisible freak," he dashes out the door, and I go after him, straining my long legs to follow him. Geez, my disproportionate body is _not_ a blessing right now, not to mention I'm mostly out of shape.

"Wait up!" I pant after a few minutes of charging through the halls, "Do you know where he is?"

" _I have no idea!_ " Levi cackles maniacally, and I groan internally.

 _Why did I choose to leave the room…?_ I wonder as a stitch begins to form in my side, _Oh, yeah! I wonder if Leon fell for that…_

-( **Leon** )-

 _I know I'm needed at that explosion, but I have to check on Kelly,_ Lieutenant Leon jogs along, twirling a sheathed longsword in his hand, _But now I get why Levi can swing this around so easily_. _It's light, well-balanced, and really-_ "* _Achoo!_ *" the CO is cut off as a sneeze forms out of nowhere, and the father rubs his nose, "Geez, that was strange…" the Lieutenant was wearing a light-grey short-sleeved jacket with a maroon shirt underneath. On his legs he had maroon cargo pants, with grey leather stitched into the fabric for minor protection, and dark-grey boots were hidden underneath. He had decided earlier that year to grow a beard, so a well-trimmed one spanned his face. He finally makes it to his destination, the room young Kelly was staying in, and he opens it. "Hey, Levi!" he calls, "I have your sword-" he stops as he sees the room, dark, with a large lump curled up in the bedsheets.

 _Awww,_ the Lieutenant smiles to himself, remembering how his son Jason always curled like that whenever his ol' pa would tuck him in, _He's asleep. Levi must have left, which is a bit odd, but that's fine,_ gently closing the door, the new Lieutenant turns to where the explosion rocked the ship, _But now, I gotta go get whoever did that_.

-( **Kelly** )-

 _If he did fall for a couple pillows under the sheets, then_ that _would be funny_ , I smile, exhausted, as I think about it. Levi and I were running along a hallway, a staircase at the end leading up to the deck of the ship. My stamina was running low, and the fact that I was holding my Baselard and rifle didn't help, but something had been on my mind. "Hey, Levi?" I ask, stumbling after him, a stitch in my side, "What were you saying earlier?"

"When I kicked those Fishmen's asses?" he asks, and I nod, "Italian."

"You speak *pant* Italian?" I'm quite surprised. He doesn't seem like one of those guys who respects other languages.

"Yeah, it was drilled into me by my parents," Levi huffs, "It's especially useful in the Southeastern parts of the West Blue. Lotta speakers there."

"Interesting," I comment as my stitch gets worse, and I begin to fall behind, "Hey, Levi? Could we take a break? I'm not gonna be able to keep this up long…"

"Geez, squirt!" the Sergeant smirks as he turns around, now running backwards, "Are you _that_ out of shape?"

"I've been asleep for five days!" I yell back, "Sue me!"

"Ugh, _fine,_ " Levi groans, screeching to a halt, "You can't even run the length of the ship? Welp, I guess Karen'll have to drill some strength into you! Do you _really_ want me to tell Leon to tell her that?"

"Fuck you," I groan as I stop, falling face first onto the wooden floor, my cut cheek stinging from the sweat, "Too tired to care," after a few deep breaths, I roll onto my back, my arm flopping to the side, but before it hits the floor, it strikes something.

"Hey, kid?" Levi stares at me strangely, "Either you have extreme self-discipline and are stopping your arm before it hits the floor, or your hand is levitating."

"What…? * _Snrk_ *" I turn my head and suppress a burst of laughter as I realize what had happened. My hand was hovering about a foot off the ground, an invisible force preventing it from falling farther. Keyword: invisible.

"Your hand did not strike me," a voice sounds from where the force is, "I simply allowed it to make contact so that I could use my superior inner strength to sap your own, which is why you are so exhausted."

"What…?" Levi mutters as he figures it out, and a huge grin spreads across his face, "Oh, this is fucking _gold_ ," the Sergeant laughs, "You're kidding, right? _This_ is the idiot who attacked our ship?"

"I am no joke," the voice replies, a shimmering in the spot revealing a striped blue Fishman, who as we all know as… Veo? No… Teo? I don't think so… "I am Zeo, Officer of the New Fishman Pirates, and on my honor as a self-respecting Fishman, I will _crush_ you human scum!" Zeo! _That's_ it.

"What was it I heard about crushing someone?" the angry mezzo voice of Karen sounds from behind me, and I freeze. The Sergeant was wearing a simple orange hoodie, with light grey sweatpants, and black cargo boots, her vivid red hair cut short and her green eyes flashing dangerously.

" _You!_ " Levi growls, jabbing a finger at the vixen, "Why aren't you helping seal up the breach!?"

"I could ask _you_ the same _thing!_ " she sneers back, and the two stare each other down, sparks flying between them.

"Well _I_ was going after the guy who probably _stole_ something!" the black-haired swordsman barks, and Karen snarls.

"And _I_ was following _you!_ " she snaps back, "Have been since your little duel with those Fishmen."

"Well maybe you should've helped me kill those things! I was out there alone!" Levi roars.

" _Hey, I helped!_ " I cry indignantly, but am ignored as the two continue to rage back and forth. As I watch the display, I hear a _shuffle_ off to my side, and I glance over. Zeo was slowly crawling away from me on the ground, and I see a satchel hanging off his shoulder, a vibrant red barely visible through the flap, "Uh, guys?" I say weakly, unable to move and stop Zeo myself.

" _WHAT!?_ " that two Sergeants bark, and I point at the Fishman, who was turning invisible.

"He's getting away," I chuckle hesitantly.

" _Rrrgh,_ " Karen growls, and out of her sleeve a length of chain practically _flows_ , a she flings a weight connected to the end at the vanishing Fishman.

 _Crunch._ I can see the Fishman wince in pain as the weapon strikes his shoulder, but he springs up, clutching the area, and dashes away.

" _Damn_ ," Karen _tsks_ , grinding her teeth, and Levi crosses his arms.

"Gee, _nice shot_ ," he scoffs dismissively, "What were you aiming for, the hand?"

"Wanna say that _again?_ " the vixen growls furiously.

"Yeah, and I _will!_ " Levi snaps back, slamming his forehead into hers in a mirror of what happened in the medical room, " _Were you aiming for the_ _hand!?_ "

"What is going on out here?" a gentlemanly voice sounds as 'Flower Sword' Vista steps through a door, his curly moustache messy, "I was enjoying a fine rest when two loud _fools_ woke me up," he wore a ruffled white dress shirt, and black dress pants held together by a belt and black dress shoes completed the look. Attached to said belt were two sheathes, but one was empty of its blade. His signature hat was gone, but his curly afro-like shock was good-looking as well. It was _so_ good-looking, in fact, that Levi and Karen stopped their squabble to cower in near-terror at the beauty _god_ that had graced them with his presence.

"She did it," Levi hastily points to Karen. Yeah, the beauty god part was a lie. It was just terror.

"W-" Karen sputters indignantly, " _What!?_ _You_ started this!"

"I don't care who it was," the Division Commander sighs tiredly, "Just keep it _down_ ," he glances down at me, "Oh, young Kelly! I wasn't aware that you were awake. How are you feeling?"

"Well, aside from the cut," I grin, pointing at the wound, "I'm doing pretty fine."

"Excellent," the Commander nods sagely, "So I assume that Maria already checked you over?" the swordsman smiles, but the expression fades as he stares into my eyes. Probably his Observation Haki sensing my uneasy feel, "Sergeant Levi…" the gentleman growls dangerously.

"Hey, _hey_!" the perv grins weakly, racing to form a defense, "It was all the squirt's idea?"

" _Bullshit!_ " I groan, but Vista holds up a hand.

"I don't want any kind of tension," the gentleman states, "But I also highly doubt that it was young Kelly's idea, whatever the reason for his unsettled eyes."

"Aw, hell," Levi facepalms himself, embarrassed.

"Indeed," Vista grins, and he glances at me, seeing the Baselard next to me, "Oh! This is quite a surprise," the Commander raises his eyebrows, picking up the long dagger, "I assume that this is not for show?"

"No," I shake my head, sitting up, "Levi and Karen are gonna teach me how to use that."

"Together?" the Commander muses, and I nod. He glances dully at the two Sergeants, who were already trying to push each other around behind his back, "Yes, well, might I suggest learning to use a shorter dagger along with it? The different length and weight of the blades makes it easier to use them at the same time."

I look at him, confused. "Don't you use two swords of equal length, though?"

"Yes, I do," Vista chuckles, "However, one is lighter than the other, so I work with two blades that can be used in different ways," he grabs the empty sheath, "But I lost the use of my heavier sword, _Ochitsuita_ , in the battle against the monster you defeated. Now I only have use of my lighter sword, _Arashi_."

" _What!?_ " Levi cries, breaking away from his conflict with Karen, a serious look on his face, "Can it be repaired?"

"Yes, the smith here said that he will have it fully repaired in a few hours," Vista nods, "But I assume you three are here in pursuit of that Fishman, correct?"

"Yep," I nod, "We think he took something from the storage area. Unfortunately, he can go invisible, so we're having trouble tracking him."

The Commander grins. "I believe I can help you with that."

"We know that bastard is wounded," Karen huffs, "I hit him in the shoulder. Probably broke his shoulder or something."

"He is that way," Vista points in the direction that Zeo had left, and we all set off, "His Haki aura is wavering. It appears you _did_ do some damage. Good work."

"Don't patronize me," Karen snaps, her expression annoyed, and Vista raises an eyebrow.

"I wasn't," the Commander retorts, and he points to her and Levi, "You two need to learn respect. If you do not, then you will never make the spot of Lieutenant, let alone Commander."

"I don't care," Levi scoffs, "I'm good enough that I don't _need_ to respect anyone."

"I don't want to hear your lip," Vista snarls, and we come to a split in the hallway, "Oh, perfect! We're all splitting up now so we can cover more ground. And can you guess who is going with who?"

"You wouldn't," Karen furrows her brow in anger.

"Oh, but I would," Vista smirks, pointing at her and Levi, "You two will go together as a lesson not to talk back to superiors. Young Kelly will go with me."

"Can't you just tell where he is with your Haki?" Levi pleads, on his knees and suddenly humble.

"I apologize, Sergeant Levi," Vista shakes his head mockingly, "Your annoyances have disrupted my concentration. I _can't_ sense him!"

"Fuck that, I ain't going with this bitch!" Levi scoffs at the idea, once more aggressive.

"That's an _order_ ," Vista frowns, fed up with Levi's crap, and he points down the left hallway, "Now _get going_ ," he watches the two Sergeants as they begrudgingly go down the hall.

"This is _your_ fault," Karen hisses, and the swordsman clenches a fist.

" _My fault!?_ " he barks as they round a corner, "This was _your_ fault!"

"Are they okay?" I ask Vista as the two continue bickering, even out of earshot. _Jeez, it's like Zoro and Sanji…_

"Those two never got along…" Vista sighs as he turns to our own hallway, limping down it, "Karen used to be a Captain of a crew herself, and always commands respect and obedience from her subordinates. However, since Levi is a former mercenary, he's always showing disrespect and cockiness, and never listens to anything she says, which is constantly enraging her. So, the two are stuck in an infinite dance of mutual dislike."

"Oh," I realize, wondering about both of their pasts, "So Karen used to be less harsh?"

"Oh, dear me, no!" Vista chuckles, "If anything, from what I've heard, she's gotten better ever since she joined over a year ago! She used to be _worse!_ "

"I'd have hated to be her crewmate, then," I shudder as I imagine what it would have been like.

"Yes, well," Vista sighs as we move, "We should be coming up on this thief. He's around the corner, against the wall. Do you know what he stole?"

"Not completely," I mutter, "I did see something red in his satchel."

"Red?" the Commander raises an eyebrow, "Hrm…"

"What is it?" I ask, and Vista just frowns.

"I believe he may have stolen your Devil Fruit," the swordsman muses, "Although to Fishmen, the Fruits are nearly useless…"

"It could be for funds," I suggest, and Vista nods.

"Devil Fruits sell for quite a large sum on the Black Market, so I suppose that would work," he mutters.

"But why would the New Fishman Pirates attack the ship?" I ask, "It's practically suici-"

"Wait, these are the New Fishman Pirates?" the gentleman cuts me off, a flash of anger crossing his face, "They attacked the _Beluga!_ "

"Wait, they did?" I'm surprised. Hody Jones may have been crazy and single minded, but he certainly wasn't _stupid_.

"Yes, and the _Beluga_ is _my_ Division ship," Vista narrows his eyes, "There will be hell to pay for this outrage," he begins to fume, but then glances to me, deflating, "... I apologize for my… uncouth attitude…"

"No, you have every right to be angry," I shrug, "They attacked your ship, so you should fight this guy."

"Thank you," the Commander smiles at me, "It's a good thing, too. He's _close!_ " Vista barks as he spins around, slamming one foot into the ground with a _crunch_ , accompanied by a grunt of pain.

"Wait, what?" I ask, stunned, "But you said he was around the corner!"

"It was merely a ploy," Vista replies, reaching down and grabbing the now un-camouflaged arm that he had stepped on, "If he had the knowledge that I knew he was here, he would have fled like a coward."

Zeo was visually struggling to come up with some dumb reason why this wasn't a shortcoming. "I was wearing down the leather of your boot-"

"Quiet," Vista snips, and the Fishman falls silent, "Young Kelly, take that bag, please," I move to take it, but Zeo's hand goes to cover it, and I flinch back, not wanting to get caught, "None of that," Vista grunts, nodding to me in assurance while addressing Zeo, "Or I shall break your limbs."

"Here goes," I mutter to myself as I reach into the satchel, grabbing a stalk of some kind. As I pull out the object, I gasp in shock and awe as I look at it.

The Devil Fruit was a vibrant red, with white vertical stripes engraved into the flesh. It was round, with a green stem poking out of the top. Overall, it looked like a weird cherry with a bunch of swirls.

"Stunning, as all Fruits are," Vista comments, but I hardly hear him. I was lost in the power that radiated off of the Fruit, beckoning me to eat it and gain that power for my own.

 _This is yours,_ I hear a voice in my head say, _You_ earned _it_.

 **Earned?** another scoffs, **That was all** _ **luck!**_ **You don't deserve this fruit!**

 _ **If you eat it, you'll turn out stronger than everyone on this crew**_ **,** yet another voice goads.

'At what cost?' a fourth argues, 'Your very _humanity?_ Is that worth it?'

" _I_ …" I whisper, hesitant of which voice I should listen to.

" _Ungh!_ " however, before I can make a choice, I'm snapped back to reality by the pained grunts of Zeo, Vista's hand wrapped around his throat.

"On behalf of my Father," the Commander grits his teeth, "I wish for you to return to your captain and warn him that if he attacks our crew again, he _will_ pay dearly," the swordsman tosses the Fishman aside, and glares at him, " _Leave_ ," despite his pride, Zeo knew he was outmatched, and decided to flee, sprinting back towards the breach he had obviously made.

I guess fear really _is_ a good motivator.

"So, young Kelly," Vista muses after Zeo had left our sight, "You are being taught to wield your baselard by Levi now, correct?"

"Y-yeah, but I don't think he'll teach me much," I reply, kinda cowed, "He doesn't seem like the 'teacher' type."

"Quite," Vista snorts, "Did Levi choose of his own free will?"

"No," I reply as we begin to walk, "Leon told him and Karen to."

"Karen as well?" the Commander smooths his moustache, thinking, "I'd actually say having Karen train you would be better. And the fact that Leon told them to train you means they cannot do anything foolish, so you are in a better situation, I would say."

"That's good," I nod, and point to the fruit in my hand, "Um, what do I do with this?"

"Oh, whatever your mind wishes!" Vista grins, "After all, by the law of the crew, it's yours!"

"Well, I don't think I want to eat it," I decide which voice was correct, "I don't want to go crazy like that thing did."

"Understandable…" Vista nods sagely, fluffing his afro, "I would not wish to harm my crew as well. But nevermind all that. I should probably take you to Father. He has wanted to speak to you for some time now."

"Yeah," I mutter in agreement, tenderly poking my cheek scratch - it was starting to sting. We were just about to head out when… well…

"Bitch!"

"Dick!"

"This is your fault!"

" _Fuck you!_ "

...yeah, Vista just pointed to the stairs and walked in the direction the insults were coming from. I left as soon as possible.

-(I)-

"Uh, Whitebeard?" I ask as I emerge from the stairs into the harsh light, "You wanted to talk to me-"

"It's the kid!" I hear a random guy yell from a few feet away, "Hey, everyone! The kid's here!"

" _Yeah!_ "/" _You're a legend!_ "/" _Nice job on taking down that monster!_ " I'm greeted by cries of victory, many Commanders that I recognize among the crowd.

"Kid!" I hear the familiar voice of Thatch, albeit a bit drunk, and the pompadour drapes an arm over my shoulder, "You're *hic* up! Tha's good," he hiccups, and stumbles to the floor, his shirt unbuttoned and ruffled, "I'm sleepy now. G'night."

"Um," I gulp as I walk up to the imposing chair of Whitebeard, his own form towering over everything else, "What's the occasion?"

"We just kicked some dumbasses in the rear," Marco, who was standing next to Newgate with a massive saucer of sake, smirks, "Jinbe rounded them up and we repaired the damage, so now we party!"

" _That fast!?_ " I balk in surprise, "It's only been ten minutes!"

" _Gurarara!_ " Pops booms, his laugh shaking the deck of the giant ship, "The _Moby Dick_ is our home, brat! And my sons know how to keep her afloat."

"Well, you can color me impressed," I grin, and I hold out the Devil Fruit, "Also, what should I do with this? I don't want to eat it, so do I give it to someone else?"

"Well, that depends," the titan nods, grinning back, "You can do whatever you want to, my son. I don't control your choices."

"Alright," I glance at the fruit, and toss it to Marco, "You do what you want with it. I don't want to hurt anyone because I ate it, and I can't currently think of any way to use it right now."

"I'll just keep it for you, in case you need it in the future," Marco shrugs, tucking it away.

"Good choice," Whitebeard rumbles, "Now, I just wish to ask you one thing - did you enjoy your first adventure?"

"I mean…" I chuckle hesitantly, "Despite the fact that I… killed, I saved another because of it, and everything else was pretty entertaining. So, I guess it was okay."

"Good," Pops nods, satisfied, "As you likely know, Leon wants you to become a Sergeant in his absence, so I have to ask - do you wish to be one?"

"Yeah," I nod, determined, "But I want to train and get stronger, if that's okay. I want to be good enough in the first place."

"Understandable," Marco muses, "You're pretty weak. I'd suggest you start right now, then, because duty is always calling."

"Hmm," Pops hums in agreement, "Then go, Sergeant Ian Kelly of the Fourth Division! Go and make me proud!"

" _YEAH!_ " the rest of the crowd roars in agreement, and I grin as I walk back down into the bowels of the _Moby Dick_. I will become as strong as I can be.

You'll see.

 **AN: Well, there we go! Now, I'm gonna take some time to get the next arc planned out, so next chapter might take a bit longer than usual (this was** _ **not**_ **a usual chapter), so sorry if it's been seeming slow lately. I finally know the direction that I'm planning to go with the Sergeants, and if you end up despising some of them, that's likely their purpose. Well, that's all I've been needing to say, so if you have a suggestion for anything, review or PM me. Anyways, see ya next chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

 **AN: Hello again! Geez, this chapter is painfully small for how long I was working on it, but I wanted to get the chapter done by today, so I'm gonna split what I have planned into two bits and get the next chapter out in like a week (If school allows me to). Anyways, enjoy!**

 **Chapter 17**

My name is Ian Kelly. When I was sixteen, I was dragged out to sea by a storm when I was scattering my grandpa's ashes into the Pacific. I woke up in a crazy, hectic world, meeting new people and helped defeat a man that was threatening Fishman Island. After that, I began training, so that I can be stronger, but now?

" _Dodge!_ " Fourth Division Sergeant Levi of the Whitebeard pirates roars as he brings a training longsword down, and I scramble out of the way in a panic.

...Now is not my finest moment.

"We've been going for _six hours!_ " I gasp for breath, my Baselard and new parrying dagger clutched in white knuckles, the scar on my cheek from five months ago burning, "Can't we take a break?"

"Sorry, you little shit," Levi sneers, stabbing the dulled blade into the ground with a _thwok_ , "I ain't done beating the everloving crap outta you yet."

" _Fuck you_ ," I hiss under my breath, beads of sweat trickling down my nose. I stare at my opponent, looking him over. He was wearing a purple tank-top, black sweatpants, tennis shoes, and his purple sunglasses. Unfortunately, it also didn't look like he was tired whatsoever, seeing as how his spiky black hair was still standing up like it had a mind of its own.

"What was that?" my 'trainer' barks from across the room, "If I hear any lip, I'm coming over there and slapping the back of your fucking head!"

"I said…" I growl, reversing my dagger to an ice-pick grip, and I charge, my legs pumping, closing the distance in seconds, " _Fuck you!_ " I roar, leaping up, bringing the thin blade down.

 _Skrang!_ "Ha!" Levi barks as he brings the two-handed weapon up, deflecting the dagger, and he slaps the side of my head with the flat of his blade, "You see that? _That's_ how you punish someone!"

"Shut up…" I groan from the floor in misery, my head ringing like a bell, "You've been using me as your punching bag since day one…"

"And _I_ ," the ass smirks, " _Love_ it."

" _Rrgh_ ," I grumble as I struggle up, knowing he wouldn't let me go until I was tenderized. At least it was good Iron Body practice, right? "One of these days…" I glare at him, but am unable to finish the threat, unwilling to be tenderized _more_.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" the Sergeant asks in feign curiosity, "I couldn't hear you over how good I am. Could you repeat?"

"One of these days," I regain my courage, staring him straight in the eyes, "I'm gonna kick your ass," Levi is surprised by my boldness, and I see a slight shift in his stance - his guard was down. I take advantage of the hesitation and bring both my blades up, crossing them, and place them against his blade, "Get blinded, _fucker_ ," I smirk, and Levi's eyes widen, realizing what I was about to do. In fact, I had learned the move when it was used against me, and I can feel the irony of it as I swipe my blades up, grinding them against the longsword, and sparks fly into the Sergeant's eyes.

" _Gah!_ " the swordsman roars as a hand instinctively goes to his eyes, and he falls into a one-handed fencing stance, blindly swiping at the air, and I could see that a free hit was there. However, I was unable to take advantage of it.

You have to understand, I've been going like this for too long, and I just ran out of juice. _Goddamn it,_ I groan internally as I fall to my knees, muscles burning from the workout, _I'm gonna get hell for this_ …

"Where…?" Levi wonders aloud as his eyes crack open, and he catches sight of me, an angrily sadistic grin marring his face, "Oh, you little _fuck_ ," he rushes over to me, slamming a knee into my face, the _crunch_ echoing throughout the training room, and a few other crewmates on the far side look at us, "You're gonna pay for that," Levi shoves me to the floor just as I try to get up, and he slams a foot into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

As I dry-heave on the floor, I hear one of the other crewmates walk up. "Uh, Sergeant Levi?" he asks, "Aren't you being a bit too harsh on the kid? You've been beating him into the floor since we've been here, so shouldn't you give him a break?"

"Screw off," Levi snaps at the man, and I see the crewmate back off, not dumb enough to enrage him. Out of the corner of my eye, however, I catch a glimpse of brown hair, and a moment later, a black shoe slams into Levi's back, sending him to the floor.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" a young voice demands, and I smile inside, knowing that I had backup now, "Leon told you to train him, not kill him!"

"Who the _hell_ ," Levi starts, but stops as he sees who it is, "Well, well, _well_. If it isn't the pompous brat! How've you been."

"You call _me_ pompous?" Lieutenant Haruta scoffs, his shakespearean-era shirt puffed out, the neck frill snapped up, "That's like the pot calling the kettle black!"

"Whatever, rich boy. That shirt makes you look like a fruit," Levi sneers, but is shut up as Haruta's saber, _Ikari_ , is pressed against his throat.

"A bit of a low-hanging fruit, isn't it?" Haruta raises an eyebrow, an irritated look maring his face, "Let Kelly go or I tell Leon you've been using him as your punching bag for the past five months."

"Screw that," Levi scoffs, "I never wanted to train this brat anyways. I know plenty more people who would want to be trained by me."

"Well, do you _want_ me to do this the old fashioned way?" the Lieutenant asks, and Levi seems to have an internal struggle, his ego fighting with his common sense.

"Screw this," Levi's common sense wins out, and he plays it off, "You would cheat if I did fight you," he grumbles as he walks off, throwing aside the dulled longsword.

"You know," Haruta comments to me after Levi had left, holding out a hand to pull me up, "For a guy that uses the weapon of the honorable knights, he sure is an asshole."

"Don't I know it…" I groan as my bruises and splinters send aches and pains through my body.

"You look like crap," Haruta tells he as I stretch my back, "Do you want me to tell Karen that you aren't joining her tomorrow?"

"No, no," I shake my head, "I want to get stronger. Let off some steam."

"Kelly, you're going to overwork yourself," Haruta warns as we walk to the exit, "You need to take a break. Stop and smell the roses, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah," I wave off my fellow teen, "This coming from you, workaholic. I don't want to be unprepared."

"I feel that way too," Haruta nods, "Just don't die from exertion."

"I'll keep that in mind," I chuckle, and we walk in silence. Haruta and I are close to the same age, so we get along pretty well. A specific sequence of events brought us close. In fact, the parrying dagger in my belt was a gift from him for my seventeenth birthday, which was September twenty-third. Ironically, it was the same day we met.

"Kelly!" a voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and a shock of orange hair catches my attention, "Just who I was looking for!"

"Leon?" I ask in surprise as I see the Lieutenant, "What's up?"

"I'm not one for long, drawn-out stories, so I'll get to the point," Leon grins, "I'll be going on my bi-monthly trip back to Geas Island to see my family and I want you to come with me and meet them!"

"I…" I stare at him, shocked that he would ask, "I mean, yeah, of course, but why? What have I done that you want me to meet your family?"

"Oh, not much," he replies, and I'm even more lost, "I just told Jason about you, and he thought you sounded cool. I mean, you beat that monster thing, so a five year old is bound to think that you're strong and awesome!"

I stare at the former Sergeant, shocked, and then suddenly keel over, laughing my ass off. " _Kahaha!_ Oh my god, your kid thinks that I'm _strong!?_ Hi- _larious!_ "

"Hey, don't bash yourself," Haruta frowns, "You're still pretty new."

" _Ohoho_ ," I wheeze as I wipe a tear from my eye, "I passed that 'new member' margin _long_ ago."

"Well, I…" Haruta shrugs, "Can't really come up with a response to that."

"Anyways…" Leon waves off the instance, "It's getting a bit late. You wanna talk about it over some dinner?"

"Hell yeah!" I grin, my mouth watering, "That sounds great!"

Leon then turns to his fellow Lieutenant. "Come with?" and Haruta nods.

"Yeah, so we should get going," Haruta starts walking to the dining hall, "The evening rush is quite hectic."

I grin, ready to eat. "Don't I know it."

-(I)-

The dining hall was large, just like everything else on this ship. It had hundreds of tables, and was like a food court, with chefs from all over the world and Line gathered in one place. Sanji would've loved it.

" _Go! Go! Go! Go!_ " a group of my crew yells at something they're surrounding. There was usually something raucous like this going on, so I didn't think much of it.

"Looks like Jozu is arm wrestling again," Leon comments as we walk by, plates in our hands, "Wonder who the unlucky victim is this time," not willing to go and find the answer to that, the three of us go and sit down at a table in the corner.

"Probably some poor sap that thought they could get an easy thousand berri," I muse as I break apart the disposable chopsticks that came with my Mongolian - er, _Wanoan_ food, "Feels bad, man," I pop a piece of teriyaki beef into my mouth, chewing, "Y'know, I alwaysh wunder how mucsh physhical shtrength Joshu hash."

"Stop speaking with food in your mouth," Leon points his fork at me, a piece of marinated steak on the end, "Bad manners."

"What, are you his dad or something?" Haruta snorts, munching on a piece of fish, "Actually, don't answer that."

"Well, I _am_ a father," Leon shrugs, and a certain pompadoured Commander takes a seat next to him, a double bacon cheeseburger and fries on his plate.

"How are two of my favorite subordinates and the kid I'm teaching?" Thatch grins as he pops a fry lathered with ketchup into his mouth, a literal barrel of beer sitting next to him.

"You're going to get liver cancer if you keep going like that," Haruta comments, nodding towards the beer barrel, and I wince. Despite it happening over half a year ago, it reminded me of my Grandpa.

"Eh," the Commander shrugs it off, wrapping an arm around the barrel, popping off the top with his thumb, and draining the entire thing in one gulp. With a satisfied _belch_ , he laughs, "When that day comes, at least I'll * _hic_ * have gone out drunk!"

"When Maria hears that, she'll probably be pissed," Haruta points out, the threats of our brunette doctor looming over all our heads. However, when Thatch hears this, he puts down the fry he was about to eat and his normally jolly expression falters.

" _Hnnn_ ," he groans, his forehead falling to the table in defeat.

"Woah, what happened?" Leon asks our superior as he wallows, "What's got you down?"

"I asked Maria out and she said no-o-o…" Thatch groans, "She said I'm too childish for her!"

"Thatch, you can't let that get you down," Leon pats his back as I chew another piece of beef, "I mean, I got into at _least_ five relationships before I met Violet, and even then I had to ask her on a date eleven times before she said yes."

"But you're the loser dad-type," Thatch groans, "I'm _me!_ At least _you_ had pity on your side!"

I hear another _thunk_ as Leon's head hits the table. "You don't have to be so rude about it…" he moans in self-pity.

"You two are dumb," I scoff, "What's so important about how many times you ask a girl out? I mean, Leon! It shouldn't matter that you asked your wife out eleven times before she said yes! I mean, you're married!" my words seem to inspire the temporary Lieutenant, and I keep going, turning to Thatch, "And _you!_ You're a Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates! You _deserve_ to be happy with someone someday!"

"Well, I wouldn't say he _deserves_ it…" Haruta comments, but I ignore him and keep going.

"So get back on your feet!" I order, and the two leap up, energized-

 _Crash!_

-but can't do anything as a flash of blue and yellow comes from the arm wrestling group, and a large mass flies through over their heads, smacking them onto the table. The mass flies into the wall.

"You lose, Jozu," Marco smirks from the table that he and Jozu presumably arm wrestled on.

"Ah, ya shitty cheater!" Jozu grumbles as he gets up, rubbing his shoulder, "Ya used your Devil Fruit powers!"

"There isn't anything against that, Jozu," the first mate grins, flames flickering off of one arm, "Just because I created thrust using my flames doesn't mean anything. You could've gone diamond at any time and locked yourself in place."

"But I didn't," Jozu scoffs, sweeping a bit of wood off his arm, "And you used your abilities, so I win by default."

"Ah, you're just a sore loser," Marco chuckles as he takes a swig from a tankard nearby, "You lost your winning streak, accept it."

"Screw that," Jozu stomps back over to the table, shaking the floor, and he slams his elbow back on the table, " _Rematch, no powers!_ "

"You're on," Marco grins as he puts his arm down, and the crowd surrounds them once more.

"That was… random," Haruta muses as Thatch and Leon peel themselves off the table.

"I can't feel my everything," Leon groans, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head to clear it, "What hit me?"

"Jozu," Haruta and I say simultaneously.

"Oh, _that son of a-!_ " Thatch starts, but Haruta stabs his blade through the table in front of him with a _thock_.

"Y'know," Haruta glares at his teacher, "Despite the fact that you train me, you're more of a kid than I'll ever be."

"Oh, shut up," Thatch huffs, and Haruta respectfully obliges, yanking _Ikari_ out of the table.

After a bit of awkward silence, I pipe up. "Hey, Thatch, anything happen recently?"

"Other than the crap they write in the newspaper, not really," Thatch says after a bit of thought, "Kaido tried to make a move on Stargem Island, but Shanks shut that down faster than it takes Levi to finish bragging about himself, so Pops sent him a few barrels of Sake as a thank you."

"What about Linlin?" Haruta asks, "I heard that she demanded a half ton of chocolate or she'd take an Island."

"Okay, Haruta?" Leon tells the seventeen year-old, twirling one of his pistols on his finger, "First, don't refer to the strongest woman in the world as 'Linlin', and second? That deal was resolved two weeks ago."

"I'm not talking about that one," the swordsman scoffs at the gunslinger, "I heard that she finished _that_ chocolate within a few days! Now she wants more."

"Well, that's a problem," I gulp down the final bite of my food, and wash it down with a swig of whiskey, and the fiery drink burns a path down my throat causing my eyes to water. Yes, I know I'm underage, but I'm drinking it because it's one of the safest things on the ship, as clean water is usually reserved for plumbing and washing.

"Say, what's in your mug?" Leon asks me, and I try to avoid eye contact as much as possible, which causes him to raise an eyebrow at me, "Better not be whiskey."

We stare at each other, the reddish-orange drink in my mug swirling, and I gulp weakly. "Ah…" I chuckle hesitantly, "Apple cider?"

"Give it," Leon orders, Haruta and Thatch glancing between us, and I suddenly leap up, mug in hand, and I sprint as fast as I can out of the dining hall, Leon charging after me.

" _You'll never catch me alive!_ " I scream, and a small armory's worth of guns begin bouncing off my back. _The hell?_ I wonder, and glance back. What I see causes my jaw to drop in shock, " _The hell!?_ "

"I am _not_ introducing my kid to an _alcoholic!_ " Leon roars, pulling a somehow infinite amount of pistols out of his holsters.

"I'm not an alcoholic!" I yell back, tossing the contents of my mug at the Lieutenant, and the cinnamon liquid splashes on his clothes, which only serves to enrage him further.

" _Get back here, you little crap!_ " the gunslinger roars as he increases the pace of his throwing, and I use my developing reflexes to dodge each one, turning and yanking out my blades, deflecting some of the projectiles.

"Ha!" I laugh gleefully as I put up resistance, "You'll never hit me-!"

 _Crack!_

Then everything went black.

-(I)-

"Sorry about earlier," Leon tells me as we stand on the deck, me nursing the giant goose-egg of a bruise that I had received as the sun sets.

"No, no, it's fine," I wave him off, rubbing the spot tenderly, "I incurred the wrath of Murphy."

"I suppose so," the father shrugs, leaning on the railing, a cup of coffee in his hands, watching as the giant flaming ball in the sky shrinks beneath the waves, "Hey, have I ever told you how I joined the crew?"

I lean on the railing beside him, thinking about it. "No, I don't think you have," I shake my head, "Actually, I don't know about a lot of people on the crew. Just myself."

"Well," Leon sighs, taking a sip of his drink, "I suppose I should tell you before we go. You see," he begins, closing his eyes as the fiery sky shines on our faces, the waves churning peacefully below as the _Moby_ rocks back and forth, "It was about six years ago, and I had just been married to Violet, who you'll be meeting in a few days. We were living in Sabaody, and I was a lucky guy - she was beautiful and kind, everything someone could want in their significant other, but that beauty attracts attention."

"You see, a few weeks after we got married, a World Noble came down from 'heaven' and began his monthly romp through town. Unfortunately, my Violet caught his eye, and he took her away from me, so that he could do god knows what with her," he begins to hesitate, his eyes becoming misty with the memory, "I tried to follow them, but I couldn't do anything to the guards. She was gone."

"In Sabaody, things like that happened on a daily basis, but I never thought anything of it until it happened to me," Leon grits his teeth, the wood of the railing creaking as his fists tightened, "I thought that my life was over - the person I loved was gone, taken by the bastards that rule this world. I was about to just lie there until I die, but then… Thatch was there."

"He asked me why I was crying, and I told him," the Lieutenant gulps down the grief of the memory, "All he did was grunt and walk off in the direction of the World Nobles' ship. The next day, I was at home, gathering all the gunpowder in the house so I could blow the bastards to hell, when there was a knock at the door. I opened it, and sure enough, there was Thatch, helping Violet along with one hand, and holding the bastard that kidnapped her in the other. He dumped the sick fuck to the floor, and without a second thought, I shot him in the head with this. His own pistol," he holds up a revolver, mahogany and golden steel engraved with symbols, seastone adorning the bottom of the grip, "After that, Thatch took me and Violet back to the ship, and we were brought to Geas in order to protect us from the world. As a sign of gratitude, I joined the crew, and here I am. 'Demon Gunner' Tirpitz Leon, charged with the murder of a Celestial Dragon, and because of it, I'm worth 324,000,000 Berri."

 _That's insane,_ I gulp, _Luffy didn't even get to that point until after the War of the Best!_ "Why are you telling me this?" I ask him, "You've only known me for five months!"

"Well, you have a right to know," Leon shrugs, "After all, we _are_ crewmates. I would've told you eventually."

"Oh," I nod, staring off into the fiery sky, the metronome of the waves calming my confusion, "Alright," You know, it's strange. This world that I'm trapped in is so much different than my own, yet things are all too similar. There is still war, poverty, and things like what happened to Leon, but there were also good things. Like a sunset, the ocean, and… and a, uh… "Leon?" I ask the father as he stares with me, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" he asks.

"Is that what I think it is?" I gulp, pointing to what appears to be a tornado spiraling down from the sky as clouds rapidly gather.

" _Shit_ ," he curses, spinning on a dime and sprinting back towards the helmsman, "Hey, you! Get all hands on deck! We've got a typhoon on our hands!"

"Yes sir!" the man barks, leaning into a microphone, " _Typhoon!_ " I hear him yell, but I'm already on it with a small group of others that were on deck, all of us pulling at the ropes holding the mainmast's sails open.

"Watch the mizzenmast!"

"Need help with the foremast!"

" _Augh!_ Damn ropes got me!"

 _This is gonna be bad,_ I gulp as winds begin whipping up around me, the massive twister touching down, my arms straining to help keep the rope secure, _The wind wall isn't even here yet!_

 _FWOOM!_ /" _Gah!_ "

…

 _Damn it, Murphy._

The massive gust of wind caught me off guard, sweeping me off my feet and carrying me into the air like a leaf. " _Aaaaugh!_ " I scream, the whiplash of holding onto the rope yanking one of my arms out of its socket, and I'm forced to hold on with one hand, my dislocated limb flopping helplessly in the swells. And I was one of the lucky ones. All around me, my crewmates were flung from the ship and into the roaring seas, where they were swallowed by the waves.

" _K-ly!_ " I hear a voice through the wind, but I can't make it out. I crack open my eyes, squinting through the now rain-filled air, and I can barely make out the form of Leon, pointing at something in a panic, " _-ida- wa-!_ " confused, I glance at where he was pointing, and what I see nearly scares me shitless.

A massive wall of foaming sea was barreling towards the _Moby_ at impossible speeds, sweeping up anything in its path. I even saw a few fish flying out of it.

"Pull me in," I whisper hoarsely, knowing in the back of my mind that Leon can't hear me, "Pull me in. Pull me in! _Pull me in!_ " I scream at him, cold black terror gripping my chest as I feel the familiar panic of a life and death situation. The Lieutenant reaches out, but he was too far away and I knew it, "Please," I whimper as the mass of water tears through the sea, coming ever closer. Then, the sea foam covers my hand, and I slip down the rope, right at the end.

You know… It's funny.

Everyone always says that when they enter a life and death situation, they'd either fight back or run, but you wanna know something? That's a lie.

When you are truly in a life and death situation, there are two options: struggle, or accept your fate and die. In a disaster involving a small catalyst, such as a gun in a shooting, people can run, hide, or have a chance to survive if they just sit and wait. But natural disasters? Haha, there's no running from that. The unstoppable tide that barrels towards you, the massive hole that opens up beneath you? You can't do anything about it.

My heart beats quickly as the wave grows ever-closer, the familiar feeling of panic coursing through my body. The frantic thoughts, the sickening pit of dread in your stomach, and the pure fear that you feel when you're faced with something you can't stop. Then, acceptance.

It's strange. I'm going to die, yet I feel calm. I'm completely terrified of what's after death, whether it is a void of nothing or an actual afterlife, but I'm not worried. There is nothing that I can do now, nothing to prevent the pure clusterfuck that is this moment, and I'm fine with that. I don't know why, but I'm fine with that.

 _At least I can go out on my own terms,_ I sigh, the rain pounding my face, and I give in, _Fuck you, world,_ I silently curse, my dislocated shoulder hurting like nothing else, _Fuck you_.

And I let the slick rope slide through my hand, letting the Line have its way.

The wind whips my body this way and that, flinging me away from the _Moby_ , and I flop like a ragdoll, plummeting to the ocean below. My shirt flutters in the razor gusts, the cold chilling my bones to their core, and I can just barely hear Leon crying out my name before everything goes dark as the sea swallows me whole.

My sense of panic immediately returned the second the freezing water struck me, and I begin thrashing as the currents and waves throw me this way and that. " _Mmmph!_ " I suppress a scream, my lungs struggling to hold what little air I have left, the shock of the impact with the sea still sticking with me, _This is familiar,_ my subconscious muses, as the rest of my brain power is focused on living, _Wasn't this how I got to this world? Wait, this isn't the time for that! Live, me! Live!_

However, all my efforts were in vain, as darkness was beginning to cloud my vision, red spots dotting the hazy blue light, and I knew that the end was coming close, the Reaper's scythe pressed against my neck. _I wonder,_ comes my last thought, _Will I dream?_

Then, the entire ocean began to vibrate.

It was subtle at first, like the weak rays of morning light making their first appearance on a new day, but then it rapidly grew, the vibrations shaking me down to my very soul. I could feel them, like a second heartbeat, in my head, in my hands and feet, even in my stomach. Like the drums of Moria, they sound from the deep. Pounding… pounding…

I hear one last thing, however, somehow above the rumble of the drums, clear as day. It was one word, just as defiant as the seas themselves, deep and aged, full of power.

" _ **Kaishin!**_ "

And the sea was split in two.

 **AN: And that's the chapter! Again, sorry for the chapter being shorter for how long it took, but I'm definitely making the rest of the chapter ASAP. As always, if you have suggestions or see any problems, leave a review or PM me! Anyways, see ya next chapter!**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

 **AN: I am sooooo sorry for ever promising anything. I know that I suck at meeting times, but I had a lot of ideas, so I just kept adding (the chapter might be a bit hectic). Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 18

" _Aaaaaahhh!_ " I scream as I plummet down, stuck where the ocean was halved, " _What the fuck is going oooooon!?_ " my heart pounds with renewed vigour as I fall, farther and farther down into the depths, and I look up at the sky, where even the clouds themselves were split, the remnants of the sunset breaking through the storm. Using what light I was given, I take a look around me, the wind whipping against my face.

There were walls of water on either side of me, solid, as if someone had frozen them, yet liquid, as it was still flowing naturally. I could just barely see fish swimming around underneath, and even an eel-like Sea King, which jutted out of the water wall to try and eat me, but I was falling too fast and passed it. _Damn, that's cool,_ I blink, glancing down at the distant sea floor, which was closing in, _Too bad I won't be around long enough to appreciate it_ , I muse internally. I glance at my right arm, which had gone numb once I hit the water, likely with shock. It was far out of its socket, and I could tell that Maria would kill me if I got back to the ship. _If_.

You know, dying from a fall isn't the worst fate, I suppose. Sure, you're dead, but at least it's instant. No blood, no choking, no water filling your lungs-

 _THWUMP_.

" _Holy Mary mother of Jesus Christ on a goddamn bicycle!_ " I scream in shock and pain as two bright _things_ weave themselves around my arms only moments before I hit the ground, pulling me forward, parallel to the ground. The raw G-forces causing my stomach to drop and my vision to flicker. _This can't be good for my health,_ I force down my vomit as the arms release me.

"Jiru, catch!" Marco yells, and another two arms, these ones glittering in the sun, and I feel a pull-

-and I'm back on the deck of the _Moby_ , falling down on my ass.

"Kid!" I hear Leon scream, and two hands grasp my shoulders, "Thank god, I thought you were dead!"

"What the…" I manage to mutter, my vision spinning, "I feel… like my insides got scrambled…"

"Oh, that?" the Lieutenant chuckles, "That was Marco and Speed Jiru. They went down to save everyone who went overboard. Speaking of which," he stands me up and pushes me towards the railing, and I stumble over to it in shock, "You should go watch the sea."

"What?" I ask, dazed and confused, "But I-"

Leon holds out his hand, stopping me, "You _will_ want to see this."

"What do you…?" I start to ask, staring into the dark chasm below, but a ripple in the water on the sides catches my attention, and a flash of blue and yellow light rockets out of the darkness, evaporating the sea around it, and Marco skids onto the deck, his flaming wings morphing back into arms, and his claws turning back to feet. Then, the ocean collapsed in on itself, tens of thousands of gallons crashing back into place, closing up the void.

 _KATHOOM!_

And exploding almost immediately after, waves upon waves of pure sound forcing it all aside once more as Speed Jiru, the Commander of the Fourteenth Division, appears on the deck. _Fast…_ I gulp in awe, _No wonder he's the fastest guy on the crew…_

" _AHAHA!_ " the angular-headed Commander stretches his back, grinning, "That was a nice bit of a workout! Thanks for falling off, guys!" after saying this to those of us recovering from the traumatic experience, he walks of into the ship, his knight-esque armor clanking in the evening air.

"..." I sit there, trying to process what the actual _fuck_ had been happening in the past few minutes, "Did he just thank us for almost dying?"

"Yeah, I think he did," Leon nods, confirming my suspicions.

"Weird…" I mutter, the hectic nature of the crew still not rubbing off on me. I might know a lot more about the Whitebeards and parts of the New World, but Paradise and the rest of the Line were still pretty foreign to my experience, as I hadn't had many chances to leave the ship. It's a good thing that Leon asked me to visit hit family, or I would've been stuck here for who knows how long!

"Sorry- Excuse me- Coming through-" I hear the voice of Maria making its way through the crowd of shocked pirates, and I break out into a cold sweat.

"Um, Leon?" I ask, my shoulder aching, "Should I A: allow Maria to give me treatment for my dislocated shoulder and get yelled at for having it be dislocated in the first place, or B: run and try to reset it myself?"

"Personally, I would just get chewed out, but I'm not you," Leon shrugs dismissively, and my sweating intensifies as Maria appears from the group, wearing her commando-esque attire, catching sight of me.

"Kelly!" she barks as she sees my shoulder, rushing over, "What happened?"

"My arm got dislocated when I was holding on for dear life," I explain the situation as calmly as I could, trying not to enrage the beast, "Please fix it."

"Alright, lie down," she fusses, and I oblige, laying my back on the soaked wood of the deck, "Now, put your arm out to the side, then reach your hand behind your head and towards the opposite shoulder."

"What'll that do?" I ask, a bit wary.

"Reduce the shoulder," Leon chuckles, and my face heats up in embarrassment as I follow Maria's orders, sticking my arm out to the side with a little difficulty.

"Careful now," Maria warns me, "You don't want to destroy your bones and ligaments. Take it slow."

"Yeah, yeah," I roll my eyes, yanking my arm behind my head, "I think that I'll be fi- _MMMMPH!_ " I'm cut off as my arm slides back into place, bone grinding on bone, forcing all other senses from my mind except _pain_.

" _What did I tell you, brat!?_ " Maria roars, " _You can't just treat medical work like a damn exercise!_ "

"Yes ma'am," I cower in fear, cradling my aching arm, "Won't happen again."

"Maria, cut the kid a break," I jump in surprise as a foamy material puts my arm in a cast, "It's his first dislocation. He doesn't know how it works," I look behind me to see the rare smile of Lieutenant Washer, "How are you, Kelly? It's been a few weeks, hasn't it?"

"Wash!" I smile back, "I'm currently in very much pain at the moment. Please help."

"That's kind of your own fault," Wash sighs as he crosses his arms, disappointed, "Anyways, I heard that you're joining Leon on his family trip, if I'm not wrong?"

"Yep, he is," Leon nods, patting my right shoulder.

"Interesting," the grey-haired Lieutenant chuckles, "Pops told Haruta and I a few minutes ago that we're being stationed at Geas tomorrow, so we'll be joining you."

"That's actually… really strange, why did you get assigned just now?" Leon asks, and I just sit there, quietly intrigued.

"Big Mom is threatening our territory, so Pops is sending at least three of us Lieutenants to each of our Islands to protect the people," Wash explains, slightly morbid, "Pops would've sent someone else with us, but you were going to Geas anyways."

"Big Mom making a move…" Maria gulps, "In that case, I might have to prepare for extra patients. See you all when you get back."

"Thanks for helping with my shoulder!" I call after her as she leaves. I fall silent as I turn back around to see Leon and Wash staring each other down.

"Uh, guys…?" I question, slightly worried at their well being.

"Not now, Kelly," Leon shakes his head, never taking eyes off of Wash, "The adults are talking."

" _Rrrgh,_ " I growl, agitated about the situation, "I know that you guys are trying to decide whether to take me or not because of the Big Mom deal."

"Kelly…" Wash glances at me in warning, "This is no small matter-"

" _I don't care, Wash!_ " I bark, some kind of internal urge forcing away any sort of cowardice, "I'm seventeen, and I've gotten stronger than the last time we fought someone, I can take care of myself!"

"Kelly…" Leon warns, but I wheel on him, bringing up my good arm, parrying dagger in hand.

"Don't 'Kelly' me, Leon, unless you want a scar just like mine," I refer to the scar on my left cheek, "I've become proficient enough with my knives and my rifle to be able to take on at least the fodder, so the three of you can take on anyone bigger. And that's even _if_ someone attacks!"

The two glance at each other. "I _guess_ he has a point," Leon gulps, my dagger still in his face as a shadow slowly towers over me, "What about you, Pops?"

"I don't know what happened to lead to these events," the rumbling voice of Edward Newgate booms behind me, "But I would prefer if you keep bloodshed to a minimum."

" _Eep_ ," I squeak, all confidence gone as I turn slowly, "H-hey, Whitebeard! I haven't talked with you in a while, _hehe_."

"My son," Pops rumbles as he towers over me, casting a massive shadow and pressure, "I hope that you have a good explanation for holding a knife to your brother's throat."

" _I_ …" I gulp, the pressure squeezing my lungs to the crushing point, "I'm… just going to go now…" I back away carefully, not wanting to face the wrath of Whitebeard, but the titan leans down slowly…

" _ **Boo,**_ " he rumbles, shaking my being, and I scatter, sprinting towards the cabins as the titan's booming laughter follows after, " _Gurarara! Gurarara!_ "

-(I)-

"Jeez…" I groan as I stand in the shower, allowing the heated water to trickle down my face, "Why am I such a damn coward…"

"Maybe it's because you don't have confidence in your abilities," a voice one stall over hums.

"Excuse me?" I jump, startled.

"Maybe you don't have confidence in your abilities," the voice repeats, "And I just said that. You need to listen more," the voice was higher-pitched, and it talked faster than most others.

"Okay…" I wriggle, feeling a bit awkward, considering how I have no clothes on, "Any suggestions?"

"Nah, not really," the voice huffs, and I hear a rapid scrubbing noise, "I mean, I've never been in that situation before, so I don't know how you feel."

"Um… excuse me?" I ask after a bit, "Are you high?"

"Nah, my name ain't 'High', kid, it's Speed Jiru!" a hand sticks itself over the wall separating us, "Nice to meet you."

"Um…" I chuckle awkwardly, shaking the hand, "Nice to meet you, I guess. I'm Ian Kelly."

"Oh, the rookie?" Jiru laughs, a sharp and hectic sound, "How's your arm, by the way?"

"How did you know about my arm?" I ask, glancing down at the limb, which was hanging limp due to the shower, and I quickly hold it up in its proper position, the bubble cast having long since dissolved.

"Eh, word travels fast," Jiru muses, "But not as fast as I do!"

"O… kay…" I groan, _Geez, why can I see this guy saying that he's the 'fastest in the universe'?_

"Welp, anyways!" Jiru bursts out, "Nice meeting you, see ya 'round and all that jazz!" I hear the stall next to me open, a rustling of cloth and metal, and then a _taptaptap_ as the Commander leaves.

 _Well, that was_ … _Interesting,_ I think to myself, still confused at what the legit fuck had just happened, _I think it's time to call it a day_ , I turn the wheel that controls the water flow, and step out of the shower, looking at myself in the mirror, _Geez, you look like crap_ , I tell myself. My hair was sopping wet, the honey-blonde mop slumped over my freckled face like a drunken monkey. My blue eyes, previously bright and full of wonder, were now greyed and exhausted, pleading for a break. The past five months had been difficult, constant physical and weapons training taking a toll on my body, and tomorrow I was finally getting my first real vacation. Moving away from my face, I look at the rest of me, and instantly remember _why_ I was getting that training, and just how much it had paid off. My body was lean, developing chords of muscle covering my neck, legs, and arms, with stronger pectorals and abdominals dominating my torso. In our world, I would have looked like a top-level high school athlete, but here, I was just an average guy, not nearly as impressive as Leon, Karen, or Levi. The early makings of a beard poked out of my chin, and I sigh. This was my life now.

I throw on my clothes: the bullet shell necklace, a green tank-top with the crew's ensignia on the back, tan cargo shorts and sandals, and two bandoliers of ammunition for my Russian 1895, one across my waist, the other across my chest, which doubles as a holster for the rifle. I want to get some kind of hat to go with it, but I'll have to find one later. "But for now," I sigh, "I need sleep," my bones and sockets groan as I walk through the ship to my private quarters, which I thankfully received due to my officer ranking. I don't think I could have survived with all the other Fourth Division guys.

 _Honey, I'm home…_ I groan internally as I find my door, opening it up-

"Hello, Kelly," Karen, the red-haired female Sergeant of the Fourth Division, and one of my two trainers, glances up at me from the magazine she is reading, which at closer look, I see is one of mine. More specifically, one given to me by Thatch, "You have an… _interesting_ taste in reading material."

" _What are you doing in my room!?_ " I scream indignantly, " _Haven't you heard of privacy!?_ "

"Answering the first question," Karen hums, "Reading the explicit magazines Thatch gave you- Oh! This girl is _remarkably_ flexible," at that, I feel my face heat up with embarrassment.

"I don't read them…" I mumble, tapping my fingers together, but am stopped as she continues.

"And second, I never did care for privacy," she flips over to another page, "Just another reason for people to keep secrets like this-" she holds up the magazine, "-from others," she thinks for a moment, "Well, I suppose it isn't a secret anymore, is it?"

" _Please_ get out of my room," I groan, hiding my face in embarrassment, "I just want to sleep."

"Okay," she shrugs, fixing me with an icy stare, "But don't think that your arm is an excuse to get out of your training tomorrow."

" _Ugh_ ," I sigh, "Fine, I'll see you tomorrow."

"You _better_ , because I need to get in enough of a beating to last me a week," she grins a fake grin, one that meant tomorrow was going to be hell, as she brushes past me, "Oh, and Kelly~" she coos, and my blood freezes as I feel her breath on my neck, " _ **You're dead.**_ "

I hear the door close with a _click_ , and stand there in terror until my brain recovers from it's mini-stroke, and I fall onto my bed, blacking out.

-(I)-

 _BANG!_ I jolt awake to a loud noise, instinctively pulling out the rifle that for some reason was strapped to my back, and I make a note that my Baselard and dagger were missing from my belt, which I also shouldn't have, considering how I left it in my closet before I went to the showers. Then next thing I take note of is the remarkable absence of my bed, which I specifically remember going to sleep in it.

 _Oh, great,_ I sigh, _Another nightmare_ , I look around me, taking in the scenery. As expected, I was back on Fishman Island, the cold ocean outside and above the bubble dome casting gastly shadows on the coral street that I was sitting in. All around me, the shops and apartment buildings burning, the smell of charred flesh burrowing into my nostrils as I stand. This wasn't the first time this had happened, however. There was never a night where I didn't have these same haunted images burned into my mind. I was used to it.

 _Then why, oh why, does this time seem different?_ I wonder to myself as I walk through my inner demons, striding forward with familiar confidence, _Now, where is it…?_ I scan the area, searching for the fallen form that oftentimes met me here, _Ah! There you are._ I stare ahead neutrally as I stride over to the bloody and beaten form of Disco Blade Thatch. "Hey there, Commander," I speak in a monotone, and the body strains as it looks up at me.

Thatch looked horrible, with one of his arms missing, his pompadour messed beyond repair, and multiple gashes opened up on his chest. "Kelly…" it coughs, "It's good to see you. I need your help here."

"Sorry, bud," I shake my head no, "You aren't real. I can't help. And even if If you were real, you aren't the real Thatch."

"Did I _ask?_ " Thatch grins sadistically as his hand, broken and bent, flies out and grasps my ankle, the blood oozing down my sandal.

"Get off of me," I scowl, pointing the barrel of my rifle at the living corpse's head, and pull the trigger, and the hand falls away, the skin and muscle of my Commander and friend melts away into the coral rubble, leaving only bone to remain. The first time this had happened, I had become terrified, but now? This was child's play compared to what was coming.

"It's best that you come out now," I yell at the thing that was undoubtedly hiding in the shadows, "There's no need to make this go on any longer than it has to."

 _Creeeak!_ I hear a pained metallic groan as the former monster that had attacked Fishman Island seemingly materializes from the shadows, it's hulking form crushing the coral around it.

"Hey there, you big ugly fuck," I sneer at it, knowing it was just an illusion. A pant-shittingly _real_ looking illusion, but it couldn't actually hurt me, "I wonder how long our fight will last this time?" the Beast was as hideous as I remember it, it's rusty and tattered diving suit doing little to cover his tumored body. I could feel the mismatched yellow eyes watching me from behind the helmet as it stands there, "Come on," I bark after some time, "I don't have all day!" but it just stood there, mocking me, " _Rrgh_ ," I growl as I walk up to it, it's predatory eyes following me. I know that the thing could attack, but this was just a dream, what could it do?

' _ **The monster will not attack you until you kill the others true,**_ ' a voice sneers, and I glance to the side, where an extremely thin man stands, with a grin, filled with sharp teeth larger than his face should allow. I had seen him whenever I had fought the Beast. Watching. _Always_ watching, but he _never_ spoke.

"What do you want?" I ask, finally able to possibly have answers, "I know that you're just the Mass Mass Fruit. Now tell me what this is!?"

' _ **Are you truly that far ahead?**_ ' the 'man' replies cryptically, ' _ **Maybe I am the Fruit which you said, or maybe I am your**_ **mind** _**instead.**_ '

" _Give me a straight answer!_ " I lunge at him, but a skeletal hand bursts from the Coral, wrapping it's bony fingers around my foot and locking me to the ground.

' _ **Ah, ah, ah!**_ ' I hear the 'man' chuckle, ' _ **Poor Ian Kelly! Trapped in this hellish fantasy, fleeing from insanity! Aaaahahahahaha!**_ '

"I'm not trapped here!" I yell, but two more hands rise and grasp my arm and leg, holding me in place. I thrash, trying to struggle free, but the more I do, the more hands break through, gluing me to the spot.

' _ **But you can become infinitely stronger if you just eat the Fruit from over yonder,**_ ' the 'man', no, _demon_ , cackles as the Monster strides over, it's chest opening into a dark abyss.

"What did you mean by fantasy!?" I cry, a natural fear slicing into my chest, and the demon stops.

' _ **Why, isn't that what this world is?**_ ' I hear his distant screech as the dark void in the Beast's chest swallows me whole, ' _ **Isn't that such a strange thing to ponder!**_ '

-(I)-

" _AAAH!_ " I scream as I wake up in a cold sweat in my bed. I grasp at my pounding heart, terror gripping my being, _It was only a dream_. I sit in my bed for a bit, my lower half covered by the sheets, _Only a dream_.

 _CRASH!_ /" _Jeebus!_ " I jump in fear and shock as my door is sliced into pieces by a flurry of razor-sharp winds, and Haruta bursts in, eyes on a swivel.

"I heard you yell, what happened?" the Lieutenant asks, concern marking his face as his blade shines in the dim light, "Was someone in here?"

"No, no," I wave him down, "No one was here. I just had a bad dream."

"Oh," the swordsman slouches in disappointment, "Darn it, I wanted some action!"

"Gee," I say in the most monotone voice possible, "It's nice to know that my friends care for my well being."

" _Hm?_ " Haruta glances at me, "Oh, yeah, I guess you being safe is pretty good."

" _Rrgh_ ," I growl under my breath, but release all my hostility to avoid any kind of confrontation, "Well, I guess I'm up now. Wanna grab something to eat?"

"Eh, why not," Haruta shrugs, and I throw off the sheets, pushing myself up with my right arm, which throbs with sore pain.

"Ah, geez," I grunt, "My shoulder hurts like all hell."

"Oh, yeah, you might want to keep from using that for a bit," the Lieutenant gestures to the limb, "You don't want to mess up the healing process and such. You should've gotten a sling from Maria."

"Wash made me one," I reply, gesturing to my bad arm with my good hand, "But it washed off in the shower."

"Ah," Haruta nods in understanding, "I don't understand why that guy tries to make things in the middle of the ocean. It all just washes away anyways…"

"Well, I mean, don't we all?" I ask as I take one of my shirts from the closet, wrapping it into a makeshift sling, "We don't live forever."

"Kelly, we're not having another 'you ever wonder why we're here' discussion," the Lieutenant deadpans, and my face heats up a bit as we leave my room.

"Sorry, _kaha,_ " I chuckle sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck, "You know how I am in the morning."

"Whatever," the swordsman groans as he stretches his neck as he walks out the room, "Let's just get going."

"Right behind you," I grin sleepily, and we meander our way through the dining hall and into the kitchen, where the massive pantry loomed.

"So, what do you want?" Haruta inquires, and I shrug.

"An apple, my lord," I stick out my hand as Haruta disappears, shaving off into the literal warehouse. Not a moment later, a round object slaps into my palm, "Thanks," I bring the food to my mouth and bite down. I savor the juices that comes forth as my teeth pierce the tough outer shell, the layers flaking off- wait a minute, do apples have layers?

" _Ackpfth!_ " I spit out the crunchy pieces, the strong fumes making me tear up, "You little shit, you gave me an _onion!_ "

" _Got em!_ " Haruta cackles, and it reminds me of the demon from my dream.

' _ **You can become infinitely stronger if you just eat the Fruit over yonder**_ **.** ' I remember him saying.

 _But If I eat that Devil Fruit…_ I gulp, the taste of onions still on my tongue, _Then I'll lose my sanity eventually._

"Hey, are you okay?" Haruta waves a hand in front of my face.

"Hm? What?" I question, a bit confused.

"You were staring off somewhere," the Lieutenant explains, "I thought you went braindead for a second or something."

 _Close enough,_ I think to myself, but keep my reservations hidden. "Meh, ain't I always?" I joke, and Haruta chuckles, _Shaving_ off into the dark storehouse and returning with an actual apple.

"Yeah," he grins, "You're always somewhere else," he looks around, the silence of the _Moby_ giving us time to think, "You know, Kelly, I always wondered where exactly you're from."

"Oh?" I calmly raise an eyebrow, but on the inside, I was in panic mode, unsure whether or not I should actually tell him.

"I mean, yeah, you said you were from the West Blue, but you aren't like any other West Blue'er that I've ever met," the swordsman blows away a strand of orange hair in his face, "Why is that?"

"Oh, I…" I scratch the back of my neck, attempting to come up with a reply, "I was actually born at sea," I fib, guilt racking my mind, but I force it down, "Right after, my family moved to the North Blue. I grew up there, and we just recently went back to the West around a year ago."

"Interesting…" Haruta murmurs as we begin to walk to… _somewhere_ , and I take a bite from my apple, savoring the sweet juice that bursts forth, "Say, Kelly, do you want me to show you how to do a flying cut?"

"... I'm sorry, _what!?_ " I gawk, stunned.

"You heard me," Haruta smirks, "And besides, I think you should be allowed to learn, considering how Levi has done little to train you except mess your shit up every other day."

"I suppose…" I shrug, "Why not? It'll help me."

"Alrighty!" Haruta smiles faintly, clearly taking pleasure in having the chance to teach, "Go grab your knives and meet me in the training room, okay?"

"You got it," I grin back as we part, and I head back to my room through the dark halls. Without anyone else around, the ship was quiet, extremely so, and I couldn't help but feel that something was off. The entire crew rarely all slept at the same time, and even in those rare times they did, it was because everyone was drunk.

"-in one week," I'm snapped out of my thoughts as a voice echoes from inside a room, "Your Captain will be happy about that one."

 _Who…?_ I push myself against the wooden planks, so I can hear.

"You said that you wanted a chance, Sheepshead," a familiar voice half-whispers into a transponder snail, "This is what you wanted!"

" _Yeah, Levi, but the Captain ain't gonna stand if this fails, and we'd have an angry Emperor on our hands!_ " a new voice, cocky and cruel, scoffs, " _Captain Jack'd tear my hand off!_ "

 _Kaido-!_ I gulp, eyes widening as I hide behind the wall, _First off, it's Levi in there. Secondly, what is Levi doing talking with Kaido's crew!? And who's Sheepshead!?_

"Well, a chance like this doesn't come up very often," Levi hisses, and the other line goes quiet.

" _Can I count on your support if we go through with it?_ " Sheepshead asks quietly, and I hear Levi shift his footing.

"Yeah," the traitorous Sergeant assures the man, "If you attack, I'll stall the main force as long as possible until you can fortify. I can't do any more than that unless I want to blow my cover."

" _Then we move. Sheepshead out,_ " the line goes dead, and I hear Levi's footsteps, to which I instantly race back down the hall, ducking behind a crate sitting in the stretch. _Click_. My heart pounds as the door opens, fearful that Levi had heard the commotion, but there was only uncomfortable silence, "Who's there?" Levi calls out, and I go rigid, panic gripping my being, "I know you're here…" the phrase was accompanied by the _skrat_ of steel sliding out of a scabbard as Levi draws his longsword, "Now come out, or I find you," I make no move to do so, and I hear footsteps coming towards me in the silence.

 _I have to find a way out of this…_ I gulp, releasing the breath I didn't know I had been holding. I glance around, looking for anything I could use or hide behind, and my attention goes to my necklace, the one Wash had made for me from the shell of the bullet that had killed the Beast five months ago, and I pull it from my neck, _Better than getting caught!_ I think as I yank back my left arm, somewhat clumsily hurling the metal encasing past Levi, where it _clinks_ on the ground behind him. Thankfully, I was pretty ambidextrous due to using my left arm with my smaller dagger.

" _I have you now!_ " Levi whispers, and I hear his footsteps leading away from me, so I peek out. The coast was clear.

 _Lucky me…_ I thank whatever divinities might be above for allowing that to work, and walk over to where the necklace was, picking up the brass casing, _That was easier than I thought…_

" _Hey there, brat,_ " I hear Levi whisper in my ear, and I leap back, away from him, "How much did you hear?"

"W-" I chuckle nervously, "What do you mean?"

"Don't act dumb with me," the Sergeant growls, "I know you heard me talking to one of Kaido's crew."

I breathe in sharply, taken aback by the - unfortunately true - accusation, and gulp audibly. "I- ah-"

"Now, listen here, and listen good," Levi grabs the front of my shirt, slamming me into a wall, "I can't kill you without my position being compromised, but if you blab on me, my position is compromised anyways. Either way, I lose. So, in order to prevent that, let's make a _deal,_ " my heart pounds against my chest as his eyes begin to glisten with hatred.

"O-okay," I squeak, all of my fear showing in this one, _extremely_ embarrassing moment.

"If you don't tell anyone of my… _association_ ," Levi grins menacingly, "Then you're safe. Good. In the clear. If you don't, however, _hoho_ ," the grin was full of bloodlust now, "Let's say that you won't be seeing the next day. Understand?" I nod timidly. He lets me go, and I collapse on the ground, legs weak with terror, "Have a nice one!" he smirks, leaving me to wallow in my fear.

 _Oh god…_ I tremble, _Levi is with Kaido,_ I sit there for some time, attempting to recover from the shock of the incident, _Levi is with Kaido_ …

"* _psst_ * Kelly!" I hear Haruta's voice whisper from the door, and I wander over. He must have seen something, however, because he stares at me, "What's up?"

"I…" I start, about to let it slip, but then I remember Levi's words.

 _If you don't tell_ anyone _of my… association, then you're safe. Good. In the clear. If you don't, however,_ hoho _, let's say that you won't be seeing the next day._

"Nothing. What's going on?" I ask after waving him off, and the Lieutenant simply points to inside the room, where I see two people, Leon and Karen, facing each other down.

"So, if I win, I get to take Kelly without problem, and he doesn't have to train today," Leon says, "And if _you_ win, you get to do whatever cruel training tactics you want to. Deal?"

"Sure," Karen smirks, her green eyes flashing, "But there was no need for you to even say what the terms of you winning were, because I'm winning this."

"Karen, you might have been stronger than me before," Leon sheds his short-sleeved jacket, revealing well-defined muscles hidden in a maroon shirt, "But just because you have physical strength and skill doesn't mean you'll win," the Lieutenant glares, pulling out two disposable flintlock pistols, which, despite their one bullet capacity in my world, somehow were able to hold five bullets here, "So don't expect a victory."

" _Please_ ," Karen scoffs, shaking off her orange hoodie and grey sweatpants, revealing a grey tank-top and orange shorts. Two weapons on chains that I recognize as her Kusari-Fundo, more simply put, a weight on a long chain, "You're just a warmup," she tenses, her muscles warping and stretching as she flings both fundo at her opponent, but Leon simply steps to the side.

"Open up by attacking full-force with both fundo, embedding them in the wood behind me," he calmly stares her down, eyes never leaving her, "Then yank back to tear off pieces and fling them at me. _Iron Body_ ," he grunts as Karen does just that, and pieces of wood bounce off of Leon's defense, "I've been watching how you fight, and practicing Observation Haki with Thatch. I know what you'll try."

"And I care _why?_ " Karen snarls, dropping one end of her chained weapons to the ground, "I can beat you with skill and persistence. I don't need that Haki bullshit."

"No wonder Thatch doesn't want to teach you," Leon grins slyly, purposefully riling her up, "You _want_ to stay incompetent."

"Wait, Thatch taught _him_ Haki and not _me!_ " Haruta fumes next to me, "That son of a bitch!"

"Hey," I snip, "Do you know how to use Haki?"

"What?" the Lieutenant blinks, "Of course! I taught myself by watching Thatch and the Commanders do it."

"Then shut up," I grumble, putting my attention back to the fight, in which Leon had fired all ten shots he had ready at Karen, each one bouncing harmlessly off of her _Iron Body_.

"You know, your little guns don't hurt me," Karen muses, dashing forward, her cains dragging behind her, "You should probably do something about that."

"Oh, just you watch," Leon grins as he hurls the two empty weapons towards the red-haired Sergeant, who ducks around them. I watch in shock and horrified awe as the two pistols hit the wooden floor with enough force to splinter it.

"Unlucky for you, I'm not planning on giving you the chance!" Karen sneers, stopping abruptly and flinging her arms forward, sending the weighted end of both fundo flying with enormous speed, " _Kajū borē!_ "

" _Tempest Shot!_ " Leon brings up another one of his pistols, firing a shell of piercing wind between the two fundo, blowing them back, and it keeps going for Karen.

" _Rrrgh, Iron Body!_ " the Sergeant grits her teeth as the mass of air slams into her, and her feet scrape the ground as she is forced back.

"Give up," Leon urges, "I can already guess what you're doing next."

"Well, too bad," Karen scowls, gripping the chains with white knuckles, "I wanted a good little brawl, and here it is," her eyes flash with wicked glee, "So I'm taking full advantage of it."

"Then let's go," Leon sighs, pulling out a second pistol and leveling it, unleashing a wall of lead and gunpowder.

" _Shave!_ " Karen dashes at ten steps per second, dodging all shots sent at her, and I track her path, wondering where she'll go.

 _A good idea would be to waste Leon's ammo and then attack from afar,_ I strategize, _But that isn't Karen's style. She'll likely go for the head-on assault and just absorb the force. Unless…_

" _Shave!_ " I hear Leon cry, and I look up, only to see an empty battlefield.

 _What-!? I can't even see him!_ I stare, shocked, eyes on a swivel, _He must have really improved…_

 _Smack!_

A surprised Leon is knocked out of _Shave_ , sending him crashing to the ground.

" _Ow!_ " Leon blinks, befuddled, "What did you-?" his eyes widen as Karen stands over him, fist reared back, " _Ohman!_ " he quickly rolls sideways as Karen strikes the wood, shattering it.

" _Hya!_ " the red-head grabs her fundo, flinging it at her foe, and Leon tanks it, catching it in the gut. Karen then rushes forward, trying to catch him off-guard, but Leon leaps up, launching himself back for some distance, unleashing another volley. Karen just spins her chains quickly, deflecting the bullets. But, I saw her wince as a few got past her defense, scraping her arms and legs.

A pattern quickly began to form. Leon would create distance, and Karen would try to close. Often, Leon would be able to dodge her attacks, likely his Haki helping a little, and tag Karen with some shots. But when Karen was able to catch him, she would unleash a blur of attacks. But, those were far and few between, and Leon was quickly gaining momentum.

" _Tempest Shot!_ " Leon yells as he jumps back, just narrowly twisting out of the way of Karen's attacks. He was fighting passively, not nearly the aggressive style I've come to expect of a lot of the crew. Karen was lacking the speed needed to catch him when he dodged.

" _Tempest Kick!_ " Karen roars, sending a blade of air at him, but he twists out of the way, a small rip appearing in his clothes. Both fighters were panting, sweat drenching their brows, but Karen, despite having the most damage, looked like she could go longer. Leon, on the other hand, was slowing down. Even I could tell that.

" _Time out!_ " Leon yells, holding up a hand as Karen is about to charge, "Hold up!"

"What?" Karen narrows her eyes.

"Look," Leon pants, hunched over, "It's pretty clear that if this goes on any longer, you're going to get me eventually. I don't have the stamina for this."

"What are you saying?" the vixen raises an eyebrow.

"I'm saying I give up," Leon grins wearily, "You win. I don't want to go home and look like I just came out of the apocalypse."

"..." Karen flexes her jaw, "I refuse."

"I'm sorry?" Leon was surprised, "You refuse?"

"Yes, I refuse this victory," she shakes her head, "I took the most damage. Since this moment is the conclusion of our duel, and I took the brunt of it, I lose."

"So…" Leon looked confused, "You'll just let Kelly go with, just like that?"

"Yes," she nods, "But, on one condition. You will not tell anyone that I gave you victory. Tell any who ask that you won fair and square."

"I can do that," Leon nods, "But why hide this? Just because you took the L?"

"That is none of your business," Karen growls, "Just do what I asked," she turns and walks to the door opposite Haruta and I.

"Alright," Leon nods her way.

The moment Karen left, I walk out onto the field. "Hey! Leon!"

"Kelly?" the temporary Lieutenant jumps, "What are you doing here!?"

"I was watching with Haruta!" I grin, "You did really well!"

"Yeah, you did okay," Haruta shrugs, "But don't worry, we'll keep the ending a secret."

"Okay, good," Leon chuckles, "Why are you wearing your gear, Kelly?" he asks, and I scratch the back of my head, "And why are you up so early?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep," I explain, "So Haruta here offered to show me how to do a ranged blade attack with my knives."

"Well, isn't that nice," Leon grins - well, _grimaces_ \- and wanders over to a bench, "Don't mind me, I'll just watch you guys!"

"Sweet," Haruta nods, sliding _Ikari_ from its scabbard, "So, Kelly, do you know how to use the _Tempest Kick_ technique?"

"I mean, I don't know how to _use_ it, but Karen showed me the basic principle," I respond, and Haruta grins.

"Perfect! This is really similar, except instead of using your leg, you use a bladed weapon," the swordsman goes into a basic stance, and I feel the air around us tense, "You will want to have a connection with your blade - a sort of bond, if you will, so you will know each other - and use that bond to send your own spirit through the blade. When you know the sword, you will know yourself."

"That's some sage stuff, not like you at all," I comment, and Haruta's eye twitches.

"That's because I didn't come up with this crap," he mutters, "Thatch told me that."

" _Khahaha!_ " I snort, "That sounds _nothing_ like Thatch!"

" _Pfehehe_ , yeah," Haruta laughs with me, "That's what I thought at first, too. But, despite that, I suppose it _did_ help. Once I got a Skillful grade sword, anyways."

"Wait, a graded sword?" I mutter to myself, the miniscule cogs that make up my mind churning, "Hmm…"

Haruta looks at me as if I grew a second head. "If you're thinking of getting one, forget it," he stops my thoughts before they can take hold, "New ones are nearly impossible to create, and only a few blacksmiths other than the ones in Wano have managed it. The only person with a Supreme grade weapon on our crew is Thatch, with Vista having two Great grade."

"Damn…" I sigh, disappointed, "Well, I suppose I'm trained in knives, anyways…"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Haruta advises, "Back to what I was saying, you want to let your spirit and drive flow through the connection into the blade of your weapon, and focus on creating the sharpest thing you can in your mind, like an infinitely sharp blade or spike. Depending on how you want to use it, you have to change the image."

"Okay, I think I get it," I nod, "If I want to slash, then I imagine something like a really strong blade of grass, and if I want to stab, then I imagine a spine from a porcupine."

"Yeah, precisely!" the swordsman grins, pleased, and he brings about _Ikari_ , holding the saber in front of him, "Now, imagine your weapon as the blade of grass, and try to clear everything except the sharpness of it from your mind," I notice that his speech begins to slur, his eyes droop, and the sword begins to vibrate, "And… then… strike! _Whirlwind!_ " he roars, sweeping his blade in a wide arc away from Leon and I and towards some training dummies spread in a cone, and a moment later, all of their heads roll off, cleanly bisected at the neck.

" _Holy shit_ ," I breathe, amazed at Haruta's power and skill.

"Well done!" Leon claps from the bench, "You controlled the power perfectly!"

" _Hehe,_ thanks!" Haruta rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, visibly flattered, and a faint bit of red dusts his cheek. Not a second later, the force from the strike bursts, sending howling winds soaring around the training room, where they batter every piece of equipment there. Haruta's blush immediately becomes more vivid.

"That…" I gasp in shock, "That… was… _awesome!_ " I cry, rushing over to the Lieutenant, "How did you get so powerful!?"

"I, ah," he hems and haws, "Practiced?"

"Sweet!" I exclaim, "Well, let's start then. If I want to get _that_ strong, then I gotta practice twice as hard now!"

"Alright, now we're talking!" Haruta smiles back, his face full of childish glee, "So, here's how you get the stance…"

A few feet away, Leon sat on the bench, jaw dropped to the floor. _And here I was thinking that Dexter and Raver were hot shit…_ the Lieutenant gulps, watching the two teens socialise, _And he's only seventeen!_

-( **The New World** )-

"Are we all ready?" a man with light purple hair, a wicked smile, and a scar over his right eye smirks at the moderate contingent of troops packed into the transport. The man had a massive double-edged sword strapped to his waist, and a cape rested on his shoulders, and his voice caused the rest of the group to shrink back. The flag waving above his head was one that commanded respect: the symbol of one of the strong.

"Yes, sir!" came the reply, and the man grinned his menacing grin.

"Good…" he chuckles to himself, and the crew backs away, frightened to anger him, "I will not let you down," he begins to speak to the flag, "I will take the island and I _will_ make you proud, mother," he turns away from the mast, peering out to sea, and he pumps his fist into the air, " _Watch out, Whitebeards!_ " he roars, " _The Mom Pirates are coming to take Geas!_ "

And behind him, two hundred pirates cheered, their voices echoing off the waves.

 **AN: Well, I finally figured out how to be productive it seems, as I worked on this all day today. Anyways, see you guys next chapter, whenever that may be.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

 **AN: Another day, another chapter! I finally got a chapter out a week after the last one, and hoo boy did it melt my brain! Between being a social human being, school, and this, I died. Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 19

" _Whirlwind!_ " I roar as I slash my Baselard horizontally, no blade of wind or anything else appearing off the port side of the ship we were using to travel to Geas, " _Rrgh!_ " I grind my teeth together, "Dammit, why won't this work!?"

"Kelly, relax," Haruta mutters from a few feet away, sitting in a lawn chair with sunglasses, a green v-neck T-shirt, and white shorts, devoid of his usual Shakespearean attire, "You're getting too anxious about this."

"Easy for you to say," I scowl, rotating my right arm in its socket, "You aren't the one failing to create a wind blade."

"Jeez," the swordsman sighs, "You know what? You need to blow off some steam."

I cross my arms, sheathing my weapon. "And how do you propose I do that?"

"Duel me," the Lieutenant smirks ever-so-slightly, standing up and drawing _Ikari_ , pointing the tip of the blade at me.

"W-wait," I sputter, "For real!?"

"Yeah, why not?" Haruta shrugs dismissively, "Your fighting style is pretty straightforward, so I'd like to give you some pointers."

"Thanks," I grin, running my thumb across the scar on my left cheek, wiping off the sweat gathered around it, "Levi didn't really teach me anything about form."

"Yeah, no problem," Haruta shoots me a thumbs up.

 _Levi…_ I furrow my brow, _What am I going to do about him? He threatened to kill me if I told anyone, but if I don't say anything, then people could die!_

" _Kelly!_ " Haruta barks, snapping me out of my thoughts, "Are you going to draw or not?"

"What-? Oh!" I quickly slide both of my daggers from their sheaths, the nine inch blade of the parrying dagger and the twenty-one inch blade of the Baselard weighing heavy in my hands.

"You know, your arms are pretty long," Haruta comments as he sizes my quite thin body up, "Why didn't you choose to use a sword or something?"

"Well, I'm only using these because I want a close-range alternative to my rifle," I explain, "The training is nice, but I would love to learn that _Tempest Shot_ technique from Leon, and I might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?"

"Good point," Haruta muses, "But your reach would really give you an edge against opponents."

"Then maybe I'll look into something later," I think about it, "But for now, I'm using these, so get over it."

"Alright, fair enough," the swordsman shrugs, then waves his blade at the deck of the ship, "That is our battleground. That good with you?"

"Yeah," I nod, "My style is more about agility, so I'm fine with fighting anywhere."

"Then come get some," Haruta smirks as he gestures to 'come at him'.

"Let's do this," I grin, glad that I can show my skills for once, " _Shave!_ " I burst forward, moving my legs at three steps a second - not a true shave yet, but it works fine - and swing overhead with my right arm, which brings a groan of protest from the joint, but Haruta blocks my Baselard strike. Fortunately for me, that wasn't the point, "I have you now!" I laugh as I stab with my left arm, underneath Haruta's guard, and the Lieutenant is forced to break off from our engagement in order to dodge.

" _Whirlwind!_ " I hear Haruta yell, and I bring my blades up in a futile attempt to block as winds buffet me, forcing me back.

" _Argh!_ " I groan as I strain my legs, attempting to force my way through the wall of air before me. Then, it stops, " _Woah!_ " I cry, startled, as the winds suddenly halt, and the force my legs were exerting brings me forward, and I try to balance myself.

" _Tempest!_ " I hear, and I roll to the left as a flurry of pointed metal pulverizes the wood beneath where I was moments before.

"Eat steel, Haruta!" I bark, and lash out with the tip of my Baselard, the closest weapon, grazing his shoulder and cutting it wide open.

" _Ow!_ " Haruta cries out in shock, likely not expecting to get hit, and I follow up by trying to bring my right elbow into his chin - a part of the CQC that Karen had drilled into me, essentially just Krav Maga - but he bends over backwards at the last second.

"That was… good," Haruta's eye twitches, blood seeping through the cut on his shoulder, "And I definitely should have expected someone who just got the crap beat out of them all the time to be able to think on their feet."

"So, you're just making an excuse as to why I got you," I deadpan, and he snorts defiantly, twirling his decorated Saber through the air, "Real mature."

"Look, do you _want_ me to make you into a blood fountain or something?" the Lieutenant facepalms, "Because you are kinda testing my patience."

"No, no," I hesitantly hold my hands up defensively, "I don't want to die today."

"Well, either way, I'll take it up a notch," Haruta _moves_ , and appears behind me an instant later, the tip of _Ikari_ pressed against the back of my neck.

"Point taken," I squeak, a million thoughts racing through my mind. _If I can distract him- If I attack now- If I drop the daggers-_ they all conflict, and I just go with the one that seems natural, twisting my body so that my entire being falls back while I turn to face Haruta, and planting my left fist on the ground, I sweep my leg up, towards Haruta's torso, and-

 _Slam!_

 _Ow…_ I moan in self-pity as my opponent's foot plants itself in my stomach, forcing me to the ground and pinning me there.

"Give up?" Haruta asks, cocking an eyebrow at me, and I nod, my head spinning, "Great!"

"Hey, what's going on out here?" the door to the cabin opens, and Buckswain - I know, right? Buckswain is such a weird name - 'Whitewasher' Dexter walks out, his grey, 533,000,000 Beri head looking lighter in the sun, "I can hear you in the… cabin…?"

"...Hi," I wave to him, and not a moment later, bubbly shackles clamp shut around both Haruta and I's wrists and ankles.

" _Are you insane!?_ " Wash berates us, his face becoming red with strain, his grey eyes full of disdain and anxiety, "If you had hurt Kelly's shoulder, who knows how much more harm it could cause."

"I was going easy on him…" Haruta retorts, but Wash just rolls his eyes.

"So, there is actually something I've been wondering," I muse, and the two Lieutenants look at me.

"What is it?"/"What's up?"

"Who are the strongest people on the crew besides the Commanders?" I inquire, and Wash glances at Haruta, jumping up from the ground.

"That's a good question," the grey-haired man shrugs, "And the answer is that I don't really know. Each Commander is stronger than us Lieutenants, sometimes even by a factor of double! But for the first five Divisions, the Lieutenants are pretty close in strength to the COs of lower Divisions, although we are no match for people like Thatch."

"Yeah, like me?" Haruta gestures to himself and Wash, "I've been offered positions as Commanders before, but only of the lower Divisions, so I declined because I want to lead the Fourth."

I linger on the thought for a bit. "Makes sense, but why not take one of those lower postings? You could be promoted or something."

"No, the Commander of a Division has to stay in that Division. There aren't any promotions," Wash explains, "But you can step down from the position if you feel like you can't handle it or that someone else is better at it."

"So someone like Karen would never allow anyone else to have the spot once she got it," I deadpan.

"Unless she got beat by someone below her, no," Haruta grins, "But why would she even get the position? She'd have to gain the old man's complete trust first, and she doesn't have the best track record."

"She is strong, Haruta," I hear Leon call from inside the cabin, "She could probably beat you in an arm wrestling contest."

" _Shut the fuck up!_ " Haruta flips off the general direction.

"That's great and all," I mutter, "But you didn't answer my question. Who are the strongest members other than the Commanders?"

"Well, the Lieutenants, but if you're looking amongst us Lieutenants of the Fourth Division, then the strongest is probably Haruta," Wash replies, "He's insanely powerful, especially considering his age."

"I'm right here," Haruta sighs, "Don't talk as if I'm not."

"After him," Wash ignores the swordsman, "It's probably Namur of the Eighth and Izo of the Sixteenth. They're just barely behind."

"Hey, you're forgetting Raver," Haruta reminds him, "Before that incident five months ago, he was the second fastest member on the crew. He raced Jiru regularly!"

"Well, yeah, but he just got out of the hospital," the bubble-man refutes, "And Leon filled in the spot well."

" _Thank you!_ " Leon says from the cabin again.

"Is Teach up there at all?" I ask, kinda curious about it.

"Are you kidding me!?" Haruta scoffs, "That guy is on a completely different level than us! He can go toe-to-toe in a strength contest with Jozu, and not to mention the fact that he shakes off any injury he takes! He's bullshit!"

" _He's mad because he lost a sparring match awhile back,_ " Wash whispers to me, and I snort with laughter.

" _What's so funny!?_ " the hotheaded Haruta roars, and he charges at the two of us as we sprint around the deck, " _Get back here!_ "

" _Land ho!_ " we all hear from the lookout just as Haruta is about to catch me, and all of us rush to the railing, Leon bursting from the cabin and joining us.

"Dang, that's nice," I breathe, and the others voice their agreement. The island was a spring one, with the trees blooming in beautiful hues of pink, and a large mountain dominated the landscape. I could just barely make out roofs over the treetops, with a road cutting through the woods. On the shore, massive boulders and bits of stone stood, embedded in the sand.

"There's the dock," Leon points to a spot on the rocky shore, where a thin stretch of wood stretched out, with many small fishing boats moored to poles jutting out of the water, "Ah, it's good to be home," he gestures to me, "Hey Kelly, c'mere, I want to show you something," I follow him up to the top of the ship, where a large box sat. It was tied down to the deck with rope, being too big to fit in the cargo hold.

"What's this?" I ask, curious about the contents, but Leon just grins cockily, like a dad who just made the cheesiest pun of all time.

"It's for you, so why don't you open it and find out?"

"Fine," I smile just a bit, drawing my Baselard and wedging it between the boards, prying it open. _Holy shit…_ I think as I see what was hidden inside. I turn to Leon, pure elation dominating my expression, "How- what- who- _thank you!_ " I wrap my arms around his entire body, crushing him in the mother of all bear hugs, "I thought that it wasn't possible for another year!" I smile as I see the familiar shape of my grandpa's ship, the _Nicholas II_ …

But something was off. It was painted, a white body and purple rim/keel, and it looked bulky, like something else was there. On the upside, there were two purple Whitebeard insignias painted on the sides of the boat, so there was that.

"Wait, this doesn't look like my ship," I let go of Leon, my joy turning to bitter confusion, "What happened to it?"

"Well, you see," the Lieutenant begins to explain, "All the planks of the original ship were too damaged to be reused, so we had to use a different kind for the body, and we also decided to try a fairly new technique while building. The keel, you notice how it's bulkier?" I nod, and he continues, "Well, we kind of dipped it in molten Seastone-"

" _You WHAT!?_ " I roar, my rage whipped up into an enraged frenzy, and I grab him, dragging him to the railing by the back of his shirt.

" _Holdonwaitletmeexplain!_ " Leon hastily blabbers, not wanting to be throw overboard, "We did it to protect the keel in the future!"

"Oh," I drop him, my adrenaline fading, and he faceplants on the deck, "Well, you could've at least asked for my permission or something…"

"* _gasp_ * Well, sorry about that, but still," Leon rubs his throat, which was now free from being choked, "The ship was as good as dead. We managed to give it new life, and now it's keel is nearly invincible!"

"I… guess I should thank you, then," I begrudgingly apologize, "But what kind of wood did you use?"

"Now _that_ ," Leon grins, his short-cut orange beard shining in the sun, "Is what you should _actually_ be thanking me for!"

"...Why?" I ask, wanting to know already, "I mean, unless it's Adam Wood or something, I'm fairly certain that I won't be too impressed," he just stares at me after that, "...What?"

"How do you know about Adam Wood?" he inquires, and my heart flutters, "It isn't common knowledge in the Blues."

 _I fucked up_ , I chuckle nervously, "Um, I heard about it from a Marine back in the West Blue," I fib, praying that he isn't using observation Haki.

"Eh, makes sense," the Lieutenant shrugs after staring intently at me for a few seconds, and he walks over to the rebuilt _Nicholas II_ , patting its hull, "No, this isn't Adam Wood, but it might as well be. It's actually southern Live Oak dipped in seastone like the keel. Very expensive, but _very_ strong. We covered it with red cedar on both sides in order to protect any Devil Fruit users."

"Wait, isn't Live Oak only found in swamps?" I ask, somewhat familiar with the material, _Wasn't that what the USS Constitution was made of that made it really tough?_

"Yep!" Leon nods, "And extremely rare. Be happy that we paid two million berri for this."

" _Ah-!_ " I gawk, jaw wide, "Two _million!?_ "

"C'mon, it's not that much," the Lieutenant smirks, "Take it as a late birthday present, considering how I didn't know when your birthday was."

"Well, if you put it like that…" I inspect the craft further, "So, why white and black?"

"What?"

"For the paint."

"Oh, the paint!" Leon snaps his fingers, "We decided that cedar wood looked too bland for our crew, so we gave it a good old-fashioned Whitebeard paint job!"

"I… like it," I smile slightly, "Now it looks like I'm a part of the crew."

"Yeah, right?" Leon grins brightly, "Anyways, now that we're here… we're using it to get to the island."

"Wait, what?" I turn, confused.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you're happy," the gunslinger rubs the back of his neck, "But I brought this so we can go to the shore. I mean, this frigate isn't going to dock with _that_ ," he jerks a thumb at the tiny dock on the island, "So we needed a smaller boat. That okay?"

"Well, yeah," I raise an eyebrow, sweeping a hand through my honey-blonde/ginger hair, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"That was… easier than I thought it would be," Leon walks over and hefts the boat with one arm, "Shall we?"

"Sure," I nod, and we walk down to Haruta and Wash, "Hey guys, need a ride?"

"Oh, hell yeah! We can finally get off the water!" Haruta cheers, and we all stare at him, "Hey, don't get me wrong, I love the sea, but I need to have some solid ground under my feet sometimes."

"Yeah, it'll be weird for me," I agree, "I've only been in the _Moby_ these past five months. I need some non-salt-filled air."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go," Wash vaults the railing, plummeting to the sea below.

"..."

"..."

"Is it me, or did a Devil Fruit user just jump overboard?"

"..."

"..."

" _Wash!_ " Leon, Haruta and I cry as we rush to the railing, peering over the edge. Leon was looking ready to jump after him.

"Yeah?" the bubble-man asks as he looks up, standing on a platform of bubbles that constantly streamed from his feet, making him look like a Logia, "Drop the boat down! I'll catch it."

"Okay, I guess," Leon hefts the _Nicholas_ overboard, letting it go, and Wash catches it, setting it down in the waves, "Here we go-!" he grunts as he hops over the side, landing in the seastone-cedar boat.

"That's really bad for your knees," Haruta comments as he follows, and I dive after them, landing in the lurching lifeboat.

"Shall we?" I ask as I brush myself off, and Wash smirks, his bubbles enveloping the boat.

"We shall," the bubbles condense, hardening into something like iron, " _Bleached Wave!_ " he cries, his grey flannel flapping in the wind, the whitebeard ensignia on the back warping with the cloth as the bubbles rise, taking us with it to the shore, along with a collection of other lifeboats.

 _That's right, there are others coming with us_ , I remember, and tap Leon on the shoulder, "Hey, how many others are with us?" I ask.

He thinks for a moment before responding. "Around twenty-five, I believe. It gets difficult to remember after a while."

"Yeah, I suppose," I nod in understanding, the shore rushing closer, where a congregation of people were steadily forming, curious children and longing husbands or wives searching the faces coming towards them, "I can't wait for- _Washwatchout!_ "

 _CRUNCH._

I'm cut off as a pillar of stone suddenly juts out of the water, blocking our path, and the _Nicholas II_ rams it at full speed, sending me flying out of the small vessel. _Oh, come on!_ I think as I soar through the air towards the shore, _I just finished my payments on that ship!_

 _Thwump_. I hit the sand, tumbling around in a flurry of pain and grit, and finally come to a stop when my back _cracks_ against the side of a boulder. _Oh, tha's gon' hurt in tha mornin'_ , my thoughts slur, spine groaning in pain.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" I hear someone - a girl, I think? - rush over in the sand, "I am so sorry about that! My dad activated our traps because he thought you were hostile."

"S'fine," I mutter, groggily opening my eyes, my head a mess, "I didn't see it comin'."

"Are you sure?" the girl asks, her voice light and lofty, and I can see the foggy form in front of me as my vision clears, the sun being directly above us, "I can get you some bandages or something…"

"No, no, it's fine," I wave off the girl, sitting myself up, "I… I…" I stop as I take in what was around me. And what I mean by that is the absolute goddess that was standing before me.

She was moderately tall, about five nine, with dark brown hair that flowed to the left. A light dusting of freckles covered each of her soft cheeks, and her lips were pink and somewhat thin but elegant. Her ears and nose were small, one ear hidden by her hair, the other with hair tucked behind it, with her nose like a button. Her body was thin, a slight hourglass figure prominent under a light t-shirt and shorts, and her skin was pale and soft, nearly flawless. But what got me was her eyes.

They were a stunning blue, with green specs giving them the look of the sea, a rim of deep navy encircled the pupil, and I felt like I was sinking into it. Her lashes were long, and her expression was soft… caring…

 _Beautiful_ , I breathe as I stare into the nearly endless color that those eyes seemed to give, and I felt as if I was setting eyes upon something pure and sacred. Her lips moved, but I couldn't tell if any sound came out, I was so enveloped in her beauty.

"Um, hello?" I snap out of my temporary trance as she touches my arm, sending a shock through me, "You spaced out for a bit."

" _-utiful_ ," I murmur, and she cocks her head.

"What? I couldn't make out what you said," she leans closer.

" _You're beautiful_ ," I breathe, heart thumping, and her pale cheeks immediately flushes to a vibrant red as she scrambles back, grabbing a boulder half her size and hefting above her head.

" _What the hell!?_ " she screeches, and is about to bring the impromptu weapon down when it suddenly bursts into neatly cubed pieces as Haruta slides along the sand, speeding in.

"Well, Kelly, who's your new friend?" the swordsman asks, his hair messy from his movement, "Care to introduce me?"

"I… ah…" my face burns, complete embarrassment dominating whatever pride I had.

"No, sweet prince," Haruta shushes me, mockingly speaking like he's in a Shakespeare play, "Do not speak. Rest, and let me defeat this fiend."

" _Fiend?_ " the girl growls, and she walks up to Haruta, "Eat it, bastard," she swings her leg up, smashing it into Haruta's groin, but nothing happens. No keeling over, no moan of pain, nothing.

"My body is as strong as iron, bitch," Haruta smirks, and he flicks her forehead, sending her sprawling into the sand, "Jeez," the Lieutenant sighs, "Why do islanders always attack us first thing? And why do they think they can attack us?"

"Oh, I dunno," a large man, bald and terrifying, rumbles from behind him, "I can think of a few reasons. You always swing first."

"Who-? _Ooooh_ ," Haruta gulps as he looks behind him, the massive man turning black as Armament Haki covers his entire body, "...Hi?" the man lunges forward, grabbing the Lieutenant's entire head and lifting him with minimal effort, " _Ow_."

"I know who you are," the titan comments, and Haruta grimaces, "So unless you want me to call up Pops and tell him how you attacked my daughter, I suggest that you apologize."

Haruta's eyes widen at this. "First off, who are you, and second, you know the old man?"

"Atlas!" I hear Leon call from a few feet away, and I glance over to see the _Nicholas II_ beached, the cedar outside cracked, but the seastone interior unharmed, with Leon and Wash walking towards us, "Long time, no see! How've you been?"

"Oh, hello, Sergeant," the massive man smiles at Leon, his Haki covered skin shining in the sun, "Could you explain to this young fool that if he touches my daughter again, then I will crush his skull with my bare hand."

"Don't you mean *ow* hands?" Haruta groans, his head spinning, "As in, plural?"

"No, I only need one to kill you," he glares at the swordsman, a wave of pressure nearly popping my ears, and Haruta pales.

 _Who is this guy?_ I gape, _He feels just like Whitebeard!_

"Ah, Atlas?" Leon smiles hesitantly, "I don't think Pops'll want you killing one of our Lieutenants. Just set the Haruta down."

"I am not setting down this tiny little 231 million Beri brat, Leon," Atlas shakes his massive head no, and Haruta starts beating the fist holding him.

"Let go of me!" he rages, but the giant is unaffected, "And besides, she tried to crush Kelly with a rock and kick me in the balls, so it was completely justified!"

Atlas lets go, dropping Haruta three feet to the ground, where he crumples, holding his head. "Is that true, Rhea?" the titan asks the girl, and she turns her head.

"Maybe," she mutters begrudgingly.

"Oh, now, don't be difficult with me, young lady," Atlas frowns, going full parent mode, "Tell me the truth. And I _will_ know if you're lying."

"Well, I did it because that guy's a pervert!" she shouts, pointing at me.

" _Tsehehehe!_ " Wash bursts into a rare fit of laughter, keeling over, "Wait, hold on," he gasps for air, "Kelly is a pervert? That's a new one. _Tsehehehe!_ "

" _Papapa,_ yeah," Leon laughs along, "He's a good kid, Rhea. I don't think he did anything with any sort of bad intention."

"But he _is_ a pervert!" she fumes, "I went over to see if he was okay and the first thing he did was call me beautiful!" my face flushes with embarrassment as the others stare at me, and I shrink in on myself.

"Oh~" Haruta smiles slyly, inching over to me, "Kelly, already getting into the game~!" he nudges my shoulder playfully, and I bury my face in my hands.

"Honestly, I would be flattered," I hear Wash comment, likely to the girl, Rhea, "He hasn't said that to any of the girls on our ship, so there's obviously something about you that sets you apart in his mind."

"Eh, he's too scrawny anyways," the titan Atlas scoffs, "He wouldn't even _last_ a hot night with my baby girl."

" _Dad!_ " Rhea screeches, and I hear someone dashing away through the sand as I try to cover my face even more.

"What?" Atlas calls after her, his bass voice booming, "I was just stating the truth!"

"Aw, look at that, Kelly," Haruta pokes my cheek, "Her face is as red as yours, all because of you. You sure know how to leave an impression on the ladies!"

" _Ugh_ ," I groan, my face feeling as if it was on fire. _This is so humiliating_.

"Alright, everyone," I feel Leon pull Haruta away from me, "It's time to stop making Kelly as red as a tomato. I mean you, Haruta."

"Sorry," the swordsman apologizes, "I got caught up in the moment."

"Well, Leon, I should probably go after her," Atlas sighs, "You know how she can get."

"Yeah," the Lieutenant nods, and I finally uncover my face, the blush disappearing, and I stand as the titan walks away.

"Wait!" I yell, and he stops, "Who are you?"

"Who are _you_ to ask, brat?" he rumbles, and an icy cold fear seeps into my bones.

"I-" my voice cracks, and I gulp, "I'm Ian Kelly, Sergeant of the Fourth Division of the Whitebeard Pirates."

"He also thinks your daughter is hot!" Haruta calls from behind me, and I hear Leon smack the back of his head, "Sorry…"

"Well, Ian Kelly," the massive man stares straight into my soul, judging my worth, "My name is 'Skullcrusher' Atlas. I am both the protector of this town and a former pirate, and I held a bounty of over one billion Beri."

 _Over one_ billion!? My jaw drops, _That's_ insane! _He's beyond even post-timeskip Luffy's league!_

"And, last but not least," he grins, and I see a hallucination of Pops. The confidence, massive size, and protective demeanor made him seem like a smaller, equally intimidating clone. All he needed was the moustache, "I am the former Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division."

I think that was around the time that I blacked out.

-(I)-

" _Pfehehe!_ Kelly, I can't believe you fainted!" Haruta laughs, glancing sideways at me as we walk through the village towards Leon's house, luggage in hand, "You looked like an idiot!"

"What, like you haven't looked like an idiot before?" I grumble, a million thoughts running through my mind.

"Nope!" the swordsman smirks, opening his arms to allow for the sun to wash him in it's light, "I _always_ look amazing!"

I sigh as I glance around us. The town was deceptively small, appearing to be a large village but in reality being a cluster of around thirty buildings spread out. There was a blacksmith, a grocery store, and even a few farmhouses with crops nearby. A carpenter stood in the center of the cluster, and a leatherworks shop was set up on the outskirts. The town itself was situated next to the mountain, nestled in the stone giant, and storehouses were carved into the mountain. A ten foot wooden fence was set up to dissuade any attacks, and a large sign with the Whitebeard ensignia was hung up over the gate. The fence wouldn't hold against any persistent attack, but it was more of a buffer than anything.

"So, Wash," I hear Leon say from in front of us, "How likely is it that we'll be attacked?"

 _Attack?_ I furrow my brow, not knowing what was happening, _What attack?_

"Not very," Wash shakes his head, "This place doesn't serve any purpose to Big Mom. It's just where we keep our families and such. Unless they want to attack for prisoners, this place doesn't have much use. Besides, we're deep in our territory right now. If they attack, it's definitely going to be later, when they possibly take nearer territories."

"Still, I think we should at least fill Atlas in on the situation, right?" the gunslinger reasons, and Wash shrugs.

"Yeah, someone as strong as him is definitely needed on our side," Leon's fellow Lieutenant nods, his grey hair bobbing, "I'll ask him if we can gather the crew that came with us tomorrow. For now, let's just go see Violet."

"That we can easily agree on," Leon's eyes soften as he probably thinks about his wife.

"Um, question," I ask, "Are we actually at war with Big Mom right now?"

"What, no!" Wash assures me, "Big Mom is just on a rampage right now. She's addicted to candy and didn't get her weekly fix, so she's going through withdrawals."

"Jeez," I frown, "What, is the candy laced with cocaine or something?"

"I wouldn't doubt it," Leon chuckles, and the three of us laugh for a few seconds, but then Leon starts to look around, "Um, guys? Where's Haruta?"

"Haruta?" I ask, and look to the right, where the swordsman had disappeared.

"Hey, guys!" I hear Haruta to my left, and he emerges from behind a building, carrying a blonde kid with blue eyes in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other, "I found a kid."

" _Jason!?_ " I hear Leon gawk, and I watch him drop his suitcase and rush over, practically tearing the child out of Haruta's arm, "What did daddy tell you about following strangers?"

"To not follow them if they say they have candy!" the child, Jason, struggles to speak as he waves at his father, "But I'm not alone! Mommy's over there!" he points to a tall and attractive woman behind Haruta, who had lavender waist-length hair, a fair face and deep purple eyes. Definitely a 'Violet', if you ask me.

"Hun, there you are!" the lady calls to Leon, and the gunslinger was practically radiating joy.

"Hi, Vi-Vi!" Leon gushes, his eyes now hearts. There was no turning back now for beta-Sanji mode, "I missed you!" he sobs as he floats over, planting a kiss on her cheek and hugging her with his free arm.

"I missed you too,. Sorry that I didn't come to the beach, but I was getting some groceries for dinner," she gestures for the kid, Jason, "C'mon, give him."

"What? But I've been gone for so long…" Leon whines, but his wife stares him down, raising an eyebrow. She was only about an inch shorter than him, so Leon didn't have height to protect him.

"You're covered in sand, and I don't want to have to give him another bath today," she explains, and Leon begrudgingly hands over his son, "And besides, the sun's going down. I have to get dinner ready…" she leans into his ear, and whispers something. I couldn't make out exactly what it was, but the words I heard were 'cleaned up' and 'fun tonight'. So yeah, I think it was safe to say that Leon was going to have a good time later.

"T-then let's go!" Leon grins dumbly, and he rushes us all as fast as he can to the house, where, immediately upon entering, the smell of roasting pork floods my senses.

"I have some pork belly in the smoker, so it'll be done by the time I get the potatoes mashed," she grabs the groceries from Haruta and takes them into the kitchen. As I studied my surroundings, I noticed that the house was two stories, three if you count the basement, and probably had at least five rooms. This was nice.

"Hey, hun?" Violet yells from the kitchen as Leon shows us where our rooms are upstairs, "Could I get a little help?"

"I'll help!" I call back before Leon can say anything, and grin at his bewildered expression, "Hey, you have to get ready for tonight, remember?"

His face flushed red after that little comment. "Y-you heard about that?"

"Leon, you've been gone for a while, so take it easy," I assure him, trying to be a bro, "Take a shower or something. Make yourself presentable."

"I- you- _ugh_ , this is a mess," the Lieutenant sighs as he sits on my bed.

"How so?" I ask, sitting next to him.

"I'm always so nervous about it, you know? I always think 'will I be good enough? Am I going to finish early or something?'"

"Well, there's no reason to be worried," Haruta scoffs from the room across the hall, "It's just sex. You can do it again."

"Wow, just come out and say it," I shake my head at him.

" _There is a child in this household!_ " Leon roars as he jumps up and charges into Haruta's room, accompanied by sounds of pain, and I hear Jason scamper around downstairs.

"You're in biiiig trouble, mister!" the child cries gleefully, "My daddy's gonna beat you up!"

I smile as I get up and leave the room, going downstairs and into the kitchen. It was small, with an island in the center, and an open window above the sink, which was in the wall. "Oh, you!" Violet states as she glances up at me from the pot she was stirring, "Kelly, right?"

"Yes ma'am," I nod, and she points me at some potatoes.

"Start peeling," she orders, and I oblige, pulling out my parrying dagger and carving off swaths of potato skin, "No, no, not with that! No weapons in the kitchen. Use this," she hands me a peeler, and I sheathe the dagger, taking the task in stride, "So, Kelly," the mother asks after a minute, "What do you do on the Whitebeard crew?"

"Me?" I gulp, trying to think of anything other than getting the shit beat out of me by Levi and Karen, "Um, I'm a Sergeant, so that's a thing," I shrug, "And that's about it."

"What about that monster you killed?" she asks, "The one on Fishman Island?"

"That…" I gulp, remembering the nightmares I'd been having, "Was a mistake. I didn't kill it on purpose."

"Well, either way, good riddance," Violet scoffs, "If that beast wasn't stopped, then they might have sent in my husband, and I don't want him dead."

"I don't think any of us want that, ma'am," I breathe, "Leon's a good guy. He supported me through the entire five months I've been on this crew, and I would trust him to save my life."

"That's good," she smiles softly, "I didn't want him to lose his touch while he was gone. He really is a wonderful person. It's a unique thing, really."

"What is?" I question, and she glances at me from her work, which was now kneading dough.

"His ability to make light of any situation," she answers, "He always sees the good in others. In fact, when Jason came around, I didn't think he wanted a kid, so I was ready to… well, you know."

"Okay…" I nod, understanding, "I'm hearing a 'but' here."

" _But_ ," her eyes soften, full of caring and genuine affection, "He said that we would raise Jason together, because how you come to be doesn't define who you are."

" _How you come to be?_ " I raise an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing," she waves me off with a sad grin, "Just the ramblings of an old lady."

"You look like you're in your early twenties," I stare, a beat of sweat running down the side of my head. This was dangerous territory for a guy.

"Really? Thank you," she smiles.

"Hey, Violet," a voice drifts through the open window, "I heard that your husband is home."

"Yeah, Phoebe," the lavender-haired woman responds, going over to the window, "It's been nice."

"I bet," the other voice, Phoebe, chuckles, "But make sure that he goes and fulfills his dreams now, because they get more difficult later in life."

" _Mamama_ ," Violet chuckles, with curiously the same laugh as Charlotte Linlin, "How is your household recently?"

"Oh, Rhea came back this morning talking about some hotshot Sergeant from the crew trying to 'hook up' with her," Phoebe says, and I feel my cheeks flush as I remember my embarrassing slip-up, "Atlas told me there was nothing to worry about. The boy just called her beautiful. Honestly, Rhea should be flattered."

"How so?" Violet glances at me knowingly, and I turn to hide my face.

"Well, a young man that lives on a ship full of attractive young nurses calling _me_ beautiful? I would lose my mind," she stops as I hear the booming voice of Atlas, "Well, I have to go. Nice talking to you, hun."

"Likewise," Violet giggles as she closes the window, grinning slyly at me, "So, mister ladies man, how goes it?"

"It was a slip of the tongue," I gulp, knowing that a plan of some kind was going through her head, "I didn't mean to say it!"

"Oh, don't lie to me," she stares into my soul through the back of my head, "A mother knows all," I begin to peel potatoes at lightning speed, desperate to finish and not have to deal with this shit right now.

 _My life is not a rom-com, dammit!_ I furiously peel.

"Kelly, I'll tell Leon about this at dinner, and you'll be all shades of red. You know that, right?" she deviously taunts, "But, I could make a deal with you~"

"What is it?" I ask nervously.

"Ask her out," Violet shrugs matter-of-factly, and I blink in surprise, "I feel bad for the girl. Too many guys try to take advantage of her, and if you asked her out, most of those constant catcalls would stop, and you would physically stop the rest. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're right," my eye twitches, not believing that this was my life right now, but I answer truthfully, "I would probably beat the everloving shit out of those guys."

"Excellent!" the mother clasps her hands together, "You are just like Leon! He nearly killed a man who did that after we got engaged. He _did_ kill a man once because…" she trails off, the memory likely a touchy subject.

"Don't worry, Leon told me," I pat her shoulder, and she nods, her eyes misty as she stares towards the kitchen door to the living room, where Jason was playing- _Wait a minute_ … my eyes widen as I realize why, "Oh, I am _so sorry_."

"No, no, don't be," Violet blinks quickly, trying to hide it, "Leon and I chose this. Jason is our world, it's just…"

"When will you tell him?" I ask as tenderly as I can.

"When he's older," she sniffles, trying to keep composure. This was another dangerous situation, but in a separate way, as tears begin to leak out her eyes.

"Whoa, uh," I say shakily, not familiar with comforting others, "I…"

"Kelly?" I hear Leon poke his head in, and I quickly swivel my head, spotting him and mouthing a 'help'.

"Oh-" the Lieutenant rushes in, pushing me aside and embracing his significant other, who clings to him as she slowly breaks down into angry sobbing, remembering her trauma, " _Hey, hey,_ " he whispers into her ear, "It's okay," he glances up at me and gestures to the door with his eyes, and I leave them to themselves.

"What was that?" Wash asks from the couch, having plugged Jason's ears with bubbles and was allowing Jason to use blocks of the compressed stuff to build a castle.

"Um, you're familiar with Jason, right?" I ask, and the Lieutenant nods.

"Ah, I see," he picks up Jason with bubbles and lifts him up and down to the kid's delight.

Leon steps out from the kitchen. "Guys, dinner is going to be a bit late tonight."

"Okay," Wash nods, "I'll watch Jason for you."

I groan, the room tensely awkward. "I'm going to go practice my marksmanship," I go up the stairs and into the room I was staying in, where my rifle was propped against the wall. I grab one of my ammo bandoliers, and go to get my gun. _It's been awhile_ , I think as I grab the barrel, feeling the familiar cold iron in my palm. I rush down the stairs, running into Leon on the way, "Hey, Leon, do you have a shooting range or something?"

"Yeah, it's out back," he nods, and he continues on upstairs.

"Hey," I shoot out my arm, stopping him, "I think you should tell him when he's old enough to understand, but don't put it off."

"Yeah," the gunslinger nods, "That's the plan. I'm grabbing a blanket," I watch as he keeps going, and hear a door open.

"Hey, Leon- holy crap you look like shit, dude!" Haruta blanches, "What happened?"

"Nothing," I hear Leon respond, and Haruta appears at the top of the stairs.

"Hey, Kelly, why do you have a gun?" he asks, and I jerk a thumb to the backdoor.

"I'm gonna go shoot some stuff, wanna come?" I say, and Haruta shakes his head.

"No, I'm good," he leaps over the stair railing and lands on a three-point, to the joy of Jason.

"Alright, then," I walk to the back of the house and into the evening sky, the lack of light providing a bit of challenge, but I still see each target clearly enough to hit it, "Let's shoot," I crank the lever, slinging my bandolier around my chest. It was a simple carrying device, fifteen pouches sewn into a leather strap. Each pouch held two stripper clips of five cartridges, giving me a whopping one hundred and fifty shots. The one I wore around my waist had only five pouches, but it had sheathes for my knives, so it gets a pass. My rifle had a strap of its own, although a back holder would be useful. Pulling a clip out of the bandolier, I slide the shots into the top of the rife, down into the internal magazine, and slam the lever up, finishing my reload. Then, I press the butt against my right shoulder, take aim, and fire.

 _Crack!_

" _Gah!_ " I grit my teeth as the rifle booms, pushing into my shoulder and forcing it to move, and I feel it grind, ligament disintegrating, " _Fuck, that hurt_ ," I hiss as I clutch the pained area, allowing my grandpa's gun to fall on the soft dirt. _Guess my shoulder isn't fully healed,_ I sigh, just kinda tired right now, and I sit, _What is my life?_ I groan, thinking over the transpired events. The fight on Fishman Island, the New Fishman Pirates attack, Levi being an agent for Kaido, _Why have I been so cowardly the entire time I've been on this crew?_ _Is it because I know that I'm too weak? Levi threatened me and now I'm too scared to even say anything. C'mon, Ian! Get with it!_ I urge myself, _He can't touch you here!_

 _But how do you know that?_ A voice of doubt in the back of my mind states, _For all you know, he could be hiding his strength. He could be as strong as a Commander._

 _Shit, that's right,_ I gulp, _Why would an agent show their true strength?_ I muse over the idea, _But I should at least tell someone_ , I push myself up, dusting my cargo shorts off, and grab my rifle, turning back to the house, _I can't keep it a secret_.

"Hey, Kelly, dinner's ready!" I hear from the house, and when I walk in, I'm greeted by the strong smell of cooked pork.

"Wow," I blink as I see the literal feast laid out before me. There was the pork roast, but also rolls, apples, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and even a vegetable platter, "Impressive."

"Yeah, too bad the chef didn't want to join us," Haruta grins, drooling, "This looks delicious."

"She's just feeling under the weather right now," Leon fibs, and I know well enough why he lied. Haruta tends to dig places he shouldn't be.

"Well, should we start?" Wash asks, hefting Jason up onto his toddler chair, "If we're all here…"

"Yeah, I agree," Leon nods, pulling out a knife and cutting a piece out of the pork, "Enjoy, everyone!"

-(I)-

After we were all stuffed - I hadn't had a meal like that in months - we all just kinda dispersed. Jason crashed and Leon moved him to his room, Wash turned in early, and Haruta went to his room to do some maintenance on _Ikari_. It was just me and Leon. This was my chance.

"Hey, Leon?" I ask, a cup of apple cider in my hands - they don't allow whiskey in the house.

"What's up?" Leon sighs from the kitchen, washing the dishes.

I take a sip, sighing. "Could I tell you something?"

"Sounds heavy," Leon chuckles dryly, "What is it?"

"I…" I start, but trail off, "No, I'll tell you tomorrow. There's been a bit too much going on today for you."

"Alright," the Lieutenant glances at a clock on the wall, "Well, it's around eleven. I should get going to bed."

"'Kay," I nod, grinning, "Have fun."

"What's that supposed to-" he starts, but stops as he realizes what I meant, "I'm watching you," he narrows his eyes as he wipes the soap off his hands and walks out the kitchen, "Wash that glass when you're done."

"You got it," I reply, and stare into the amber liquid before me. _Damn it, Kelly,_ I berate myself, _Now is not the time to wait. For all we know, Kaido could be attacking somewhere right now._

 _Do you want to die?_ my doubt asks, _You couldn't fight Levi, and even if you had Leon on your side, it doesn't mean that your enemy doesn't have allies onboard._

My heart pounds. "Like who?" I mutter to myself, wondering if I was going crazy.

 _Who knows? It could be anyone!_ the voice replied cheerfully, _For all we know, we could be completely alone in this!_

"Yeah, alone," I yawn, exhaustion setting in, "I don't… * _yawn_ *... think… so…"

-(I)-

"Kelly," I feel a hand on my shoulder, "Wake up."

"Five more minutes," I groan, and a hand hits my face with a _smack_ , " _Ow!_ What the hell!?" I screech, but a hand covers my mouth, silencing me.

" _Shhhh,_ we are not doing that five minutes bullshit," Haruta hisses, standing a couple feet away, and I look up to see Wash covering my mouth, "Don't wake anyone up," I glance at the clock, noticing that it was five in the morning. Also, Wash waved at me from the kitchen doorway.

"Dude, why are we up so early?" I ask, and both Haruta and Wash sit down across from me.

"I needed to tell you something," Haruta stares right through me, "I couldn't do it last night because everyone else was there, and we can't have them knowing."

"What do you mean?" I ask, and Wash creates a model of a ship from bubbles.

"Someone is approaching the island," he states, "May have already landed. We can't tell."

"What we _can_ tell, however, is that they aren't friendly," Haruta joins in, "But I think they may have seen our ship, so they're staying on the other side of the island."

"Then we should go investigate," I say, but Wash shakes his head.

"No, if they know that we know, then they might attack," the Lieutenant explains, "And that would mean civilian casualties."

"Which is something we can't afford," Haruta sums up.

"Why don't we tell Leon, then? Or Atlas?" I start to stand, intent on giving at least some kind of warning, "They can get the others to defend, or-"

"If we tell them too early, they might rally people too fast and alert the enemy," Wash says bluntly, "And the person on that ship is too strong for either of them to take on alone if they tried that, so there are too many variables. I don't know Atlas' strength yet, but he probably knows by now, anyway. Since there hasn't been any movement by him, he's probably doing the same as us."

"So we have to wait for the right time to organize," Haruta finishes, "But we will be telling the old man. That good with you?"

"Yeah…" I sigh, and an idea pops to mind, "Hey, guys, I have something to say, too, but you have to keep this between us."

"Speak away," Wash gestures, and I take a deep breath.

"Levi is working with Kaido."

" _WHA-!?_ _Mmph!_ " Haruta starts to roar, but is silenced by a surprised Wash, who gags him with bubbles.

"Are you sure?" Wash leans forward, "If this is a joke, it isn't funny."

"I heard him speaking to one of Kaido's subordinates over a transponder," I say, "He confronted me after and told me if I told anyone he'd kill me."

"This is bad," the bubble-man winces as Haruta tries to chew through the bubble-gag, "Levi's been on the crew two years. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, all of our most important islands, our buffer states, and our strategy. We can't keep this between us."

"You can't tell anyone!" I blanch, "He'll kill me!"

" _Kelly,_ " Wash glares at me, a pressure I had never felt before radiating off him, "This is more important than your fear of him. If we don't tell Whitebeard, people could die. Kaido has been gathering strength for some time, and if he attacks right now when we're occupied with Big Mom, especially with all of our info, then he could wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates."

"B-but Whitebeard-" I stammer.

" _Whitebeard can't win without the crew!_ " Wash raises his voice, but lowers it back when he realizes he's too loud, "He can't win against an entire army alone, not when they have someone like Kaido."

"So then what, I die?" I hiss, my chest tightening, "I can't- I'm not-"

"You aren't going to die," Haruta gasps as he tears away the bubble-gag, "We just don't let Levi know that we know."

"And how do we do that?" I fume, "It's not like he's stupid."

"Well, we only tell the Captain and Marco," Wash suggests, and Haruta and I exchange glances.

"That… could work," I nod, and my friend nods with me.

"Okay, then," the bubble-man pulls out a baby transponder snail with a white crescant moustache, placing it on the table, "We call Pops."

"Yep…" I tap my fingers, "Just dial the Snail…"

"Jeez, this is sad," Haruta snatches the snail off the table, pressing the button in the shell.

 _Puruprurpuru…_

I hold my breath, waiting.

 _Purupurupuru…_

Wash shifts in his seat.

 _Purupurupuru- Katcha._

" _Hello?_ " a lazy voice comes through, " _Dex? What's up?_ "

"This is Haruta, Wash, and Kelly," the swordsman says into the snail, "We have a problem."

" _...Want me to put Pops on the line?_ " Marco asks, intrigued.

"Yeah," Wash replies, and the line crackles as the snail is passed.

" _What is it?_ " Whitebeard's gruff voice comes through.

"Old man, we have a problem," Haruta states, his voice strangely serious, "Actually, two problems."

" _Jeez, that bad?_ " I hear Marco, " _What is it this time?_ "

"Well, someone hostile just landed on the island," Wash huffs, "And there might be a traitor on the crew working for Kaido."

" _WHAT!?_ " Pops roars, and despite the fact that he was likely hundreds of miles away, I could feel the force of his Conqueror's Haki. Hell, it was coming through the snail, which looked like it was struggling to stay awake.

" _P-Pops!_ " I hear Marco wheeze, clearly struggling to stay conscious, " _Calm down! The crew and the snail can't handle this!_ "

" _Rrgh…_ " I hear the monster calm down, and a door slams open.

" _Father, what happened?_ " I hear the distant voice of Vista, " _Everyone just collapsed bar the present Commanders!"_

" _We just got a call from Haruta and Wash,_ " Marco explains, " _It seems that Linlin may have sent a group to Geas, and that there is a traitor amongst us._ "

" _A traitor?_ " the swordsman raises an eyebrow, the snail mirroring his actions, " _Who?_ "

"It's Levi," Wash frowns.

" _That brat's been with us for two years,_ " Whitebeard rumbles, " _What makes you so sure that he works for Kaido?_ "

"Kelly here said he heard Levi talking to one of the big guy's subordinates, and that Levi threatened his life," Haruta points the snail towards me, where it's eyes glare at me.

"Uh… hi?" I gulp, and the snail's expression contorts into blank frustration.

" _Is this true?_ " Pops seethes through clenched teeth.

"Y-yes sir," I stammer, terrified.

" _Hrm…_ " the titan grinds his massive jaws together, creating a sound like screeching steel, " _This is a tough situation. Kaido could know everything now…_ " he thinks for a moment, " _Vista, go get Thatch and have him gather who he can. Give them a boat and send them to Geas, they should be there in three or four days._ "

" _Right away, Father,_ " I hear the door shut as Vista leaves.

"What about us?" Wash asks.

" _Stay inconspicuous until Thatch arrives. If it turns out to be one of her stronger children, you wouldn't be able to fight them, even with Atlas' help_ ," Whitebeard responds, " _So just act like nothing is wrong._ "

"I can do that," Haruta scoffs, and I gulp nervously. I was having memories of Fishman Island pop up in my head.

" _This conversation doesn't leave this room_ ," Pops says, and we all nod grimly, " _Dismissed_."

We all exchanged glances, knowing that this was do-or-die, and head back to our rooms.

The next day was probably the most nervous I had ever had. It was like the calm before the storm, where everything was holding its breath. Whenever us three that had discussed the emergency talked, it was always short and forced, and you could cut the tension with a butter knife. At night, I could hear Haruta tossing and turning in his bed, and I don't think he got any sleep. In the morning, Leon asked us what was wrong, but we played it off as us being busy. I'm not sure if he bought it.

But on the second night, it happened. I was out back, shooting at the targets again, and I didn't sense it.

Not the crunching of dirt, the whisk of air on the back of my neck, the shifting of the shadows.

All I felt was the tip of the knife against my neck.

"Don't make a noise," the assailant presses the blade further as I tense, "You wouldn't want to lose an artery, would you?"

"Well, I know I wouldn't," I smirk, relaxing, remembering that Karen had put me through this before, "But you should ask yourself something. I'm a Sergeant of the Whitebeard Pirates, trained to be able to beat anyone in any situation," I drop the rifle, and it hits the ground with a _thunk_ , "And you just attack me out of nowhere. So ask yourself," I stomp down on the man's foot, and he jolts, bringing the knife away from my neck. I drop, spinning and grabbing his right arm from beneath, the one with the blade, and stare into his eyes, placing my right arm on his elbow, " _You feelin' lucky, punk?_ " I watch as his eyes widen, then push up until I hear a _crack_. As the man staggers back, dazed, I slam my elbow into his gut, making him keel over, and ram my knee into his forehead, sending him sprawling to the dirt, unconscious, "Didn't think so," I grin, clenching my fist in satisfaction.

-(I)-

"Uh, boss Cracker?" one of the henchmen asks the scarred man as they stand atop the deck of their ship, "You might want to see this," he hands the biscuit-man binoculars.

"Oh, what is this?" one of the three strongest on the Mom Pirates crew grins as he sees some honey-blonde haired kid tossing one of his henchmen into a bush. He watches as another brat comes out of the house, this one with brown hair and a sword at his side, and begins to talk with the first. The bush-tosser points into the forest, and the sword one looks in Cracker's direction, seemingly staring right at him for a tense minute or two, but they break away before Cracker could get a read. The first one's aura was strange. Foreign, wild, and uncontrolled, even by a rookie's standards. It was like he didn't belong. The second was controlled, concealed, and powerful. But despite this, one thing was apparent. Cracker would have some fun before this mission was over.

 **AN: I think we know what's coming up next chapter, so I'll make this quick. The next chapter is probably going to be out in two to three weeks, because of the christmas testing rush in school, but don't worry, I'll get it done ASAP. Anyways, see ya next time!**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

 **AN: Ugh, it's been a rough week for me, but chapter 20! Woo! I'll be taking Winter Break off to spend time with family and friends, so the next chapter is going to be released afterwards. My ramblings aside, enjoy!**

 **PS: I lengthened and fixed some bits of last chapter, and gave it a better ending, so I hope it makes up for the shorter chapter.**

Chapter 20

"There's someone out there," Haruta states out of the blue as he stares at the mountain

"No shit," I roll my eyes as I glance at the Bush I tossed the pirate/hitman guy into, "I never would have guessed."

"This isn't the time for sarcasm," Haruta stares at a point far off in the distance, on the mountainside, "I want you to go check out that place while I go tell Leon. If you meet someone you don't think you can beat, run."

"Why?" I ask, confused as to why he was acting so weird, "You're stronger than I am."

"I haven't had a decent sleep for the past few days, so I'm operating on five percent right now," Haruta says, and I can see the bags under his eyes even in the moonlight, "I might be able to sense people, but I couldn't last more than five minutes in a fight right now."

"Alright, then I can do it," I nod, and start to leave, but Haruta grabs my arm.

"This is important," he stares me in the eye, and places a baby transponder snail in my palm, "If you find anything, call this. People are at stake here."

"They always are," I nod in understanding, and he lets go. _You know,_ I wonder as I stride into the forest, the trees enveloping me, _How far down the line should I be worrying? I mean, I know up to Wano, and that's nine years from now… should I start planning?_ I'm so focused on my thoughts that I don't notice the shadows shifting through the forest as dozens of unseen assailants move past me, carrying large bags on their backs, _I think it might be too soon, but I should start by making friends in the crew, which I have in most of the Fourth Division, sans Levi and maybe Karen. She's hard to tell_ , I walk through the road when I hear a rustling of leaves in the tree above me, and immediately tense, reaching for my knives, but quickly switched to my rifle, as I remember that I left the melee weapons at Leon's house. Eyes on a swivel, I hear a soft _thwump_ behind me, and planting my foot, I spin, slamming the butt of my rifle into whatever made the sound.

" _Oof,_ " I hear a gasp as the person loses their breath, and swing around the weapon, pointing the barrel at whoever it was.

"Who are you?" I growl, unable to properly see in the dim light.

" _Who are_ you?" the person hisses back. I wasn't able to pinpoint it, but the voice was definitely female.

"I asked first," I state, putting as much venom in my voice as I pump the lever, ejecting an empty cartridge that I hadn't replaced.

" _Rrgh,_ " the woman growls, and I see her shift in the shadows, "Do I know you?" she tries to change the subject, "Your voice sounds familiar-"

"You didn't answer the question," I shut her down, pressing the barrel forward.

" _Hey!_ Get that away from me!" the girl moves, and a moment later, I crumple as her foot slams into my tender nethers.

" _Ow,_ " I squeak as I fall, and the assailant jumps up, planting a knee on my chest and holding her hand to my throat.

"Now that the tables have turned, mind answering my question?" she asks, and I can tell she's smirking.

"Well, I-" I stop myself, grinning, "Are you coming onto me-? _Urk!_ " I stop as she presses down, slowly crushing my windpipe.

" _What was that?_ " she growls, releasing the pressure, and I gasp.

"Alright, no more jokes," I wheeze, trying to adjust my rifle to be able to fire, but she kicks it away, "Shit."

"You know what?" the girl scoffs, "I don't need any more confirmation that you aren't an enemy. Too clumsy," she gets up off of me, and at that moment the moon shines through the trees, finally showing me my attacker. She was wearing a black hoodie, the hood up, and a scarf around her mouth. The lighting wasn't good enough to see her eyes clearly, but I could see them glinting. She wore leather gloves and boots, while having black sweatpants tucked in the shoes. The light was enough for her to see me as well, and something must've happened, because she recoiled, "Oh, it's you."

"Me?" I ask, confused, but then it soon dawns on me, and then my face heats up with embarrassment as I realized who she was, "Oh, wait, you're that Rhea girl, aren't you? I am _so_ sorry about earlier, I was really dizzy and stuff-"

"Don't bother," she folds her arms, "I already know all I need to know about you, Ian Kelly of the Whitebeard Pirates."

"How do you know my na- _wait a minute_ , what do you mean by 'all you have to know'?" I fume, forgetting my pain momentarily and jumping up, but sinking back down later, "And why are you even out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she pokes my shoulder, turning away and starting to walk, "And as for me learning all I had to about you, you live up to what Leon told Violet about you."

I struggle up. "What is that supposed to mean?" I stagger after her, wheezing as my stomach threatens to hurl, "And what did Leon say about me?"

"Well, for one, he said you were young," she replies, not looking at me, "And that you got significantly stronger over a period of five months. 'His growth is slow, but steady', he said, and I believe him. You were able to come from the West Blue and throw a decent hit with that rifle of yours. But you are a perverted asshole," she glares, but before she can say more, she stops, reaching up and grabbing a low-hanging branch, swinging herself up, landing quietly on a high branch, where she waves at me to follow, " _Get up, quick!_ " she hisses, and I jump up, leaping off the trunk and towards her branch, but I slam into it, knocking the breath out of me.

 _Ah, crap,_ I groan as I start to fall, but Rhea catches me, lifting me up.

"Stay quiet," she tells me, pointing down to the road, where two forms were creeping through from the direction of the village.

"Hey, why does the boss want these people, anyways?" one of the forms, a man, asks the other, carrying a thrashing body bag on his back, "It's not like he needs 'em to kill these Whitebeards"

"Jeez, you're really simple," the other, a female, groans, "He needs them for if the big bad sends a Commander after us. Just some… insurance so we don't die."

" _They have hostages_ ," I whisper to Rhea, but she rolls her eyes.

" _I can hear what they're saying, dumbass,_ " she scoffs, " _I thought that Leon said you're smart._ "

" _Gee,_ " I mutter, my heart drooping with the insult, " _Sorry for trying to be helpful_."

" _Shut up, they'll hear you!_ " the Sheik-esque girl shushes me, and I frown.

 _Well excu~se me, princess_ , I wanted to say it so badly, but alas, I didn't want to spark hostility. It's actually something that the other crew members said was a problem earlier on in my career as a Sergeant. But hey, I just started getting used to the stuff this world sent at me, you can't blame me. " _So, what's the plan?_ " I instead hiss, and she raises an eyebrow.

" _We follow them,_ " she responds, " _What did you think we were going to do?_ "

" _Ah…_ " I gulp, rubbing the back of my neck, " _Attack them and demand that they tell us where their base is?_ "

" _Wow, you really are an idiot_ ," Rhea sighs as the two kidnappers walk on through, and she leaps over to another tree, and I follow, trying to be as silent as possible, " _Okay, so, you know about Haki, right?_ "

" _Yep,_ " I nod, balancing as well as I could.

" _Well, if we were to attack them, then they would panic, which people with Haki can sense,_ " she gestures off into the distance, " _I bet that their boss is able to use Haki._ "

Probably," I gulp, and look down as a transponder sanil rings below.

"Hello?" the female kidnapper picks up, "Boss…? Uh, yeah, we are… Oh, _really…?_ Nice to know, thanks," she hangs up and, not a moment later, reaches into a hidden pocket and draws a pistol, quickly aiming it up.

" _Scatter!_ " I bark as a flurry of _bangs_ rings through the forest, and I leap off the branch, landing in another tree, and Rhea goes the opposite way.

"Oh, come on," the gun-woman scowls, "I didn't hit anything!"

" _Huckhuckhcuk,_ " the man chuckles, "You ladies sure got bad aim!"

"That's sexist, you pig!" I yell from the tree as I bring around my Russian 1895, pressing it against my sore shoulder and gritting my teeth as a pang of irritation comes forth.

"They're up there!" the man points at where I am.

"Then do something about it! I already used my shots," the woman takes off, and I see Rhea drop out of the foliage, landing behind the fleeing pirate.

"Hey!" the man yells, wheeling around to shoot her, the bag falling off his shoulder, and I fire, sending a hard-tipped steel bullet clean through his shoulder, crippling him. However, it causes my shoulder to pop in its socket, but I grit my teeth and power through the pain, dropping down and slamming my knee into the back of his head.

"Let that be a lesson to you," I rub my shoulder as his unconscious form crumples to the ground, "I really need to take it easy…" I mutter, bending down and opening the bag that had fallen off, which was starting to wriggle.

"Momma!?" a young boy, only around eleven or twelve, pops out, scared out of his mind, " _Momma!?_ "

"Woah," I shush him, grabbing his shoulder, "Hey, it's okay. Calm down."

"Where's my momma?" the kid panics, breathing heavily.

"Calm down," I urge, but the kid starts to thrash.

"Momma? _Momma?_ " he screeches, and in a moment of fear for being caught by the enemy, I instinctively hit the back of his head, and catch him before he falls to the ground. Shit, did I just hit a child?

" _Scheisse_ ," I curse, " _Schwachkopf_ ," I pick up the limp form, unsure what to do with him.

"Kelly, you're alive," Rhea says from behind me, holding another boy, this one looking around eight, who was fast asleep, "And speaking German, for some reason," she smiles slightly, "Interesting."

"Oh, you like the German?" I tease, "Well, _du bist das Schönste, was ich gesehen habe_ _._ "

"Oh?" she smiles, and my heart flutters, "And what does that mean?"

"You'll know…" I grin back a little sheepishly, "If you learn German."

" _Hmph,_ " she huffs, "Well, two can play at that game. _Jesteś naprawdę cholernie irytujące_."

"What language was that?" I ask, now intrigued myself.

"Polish," she smirks, "And you won't know what it means until you learn the language."

" _Darn!_ Done in by my own hand!" I joke, and we both laugh, the danger of our situation ebbing away.

"So, what do you think we should do with these two?" Rhea gestures to the two kids, and I think on it.

Knowing that only one of us could go ahead, I make a difficult decision. "I think that you should head back to the town and warn everyone to stay on their toes," I say, not wanting any harm to come to her, but Rhea shakes her head, "I'd hate for anyone else to get hurt."

"I'm not following that 'masculine honor' crap," she scoffs, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Look, I'm not trying anything, I legitimately think that you should be the one to go back," I try to explain, attempting to hide my advance, "I mean, think strategically. Look at me, I have a busted shoulder and wouldn't last in a drawn-out fight," I point to her, "But you're fully capable. You're healthy, and could help more than I could with any sort of defense or attack."

"So I should be the one to do the scouting, because I can fight anyone who attacks me," she frowns, but I hold up a hand.

"From what I know, if we run into the leader, he would slaughter both of us, and he already knows we're coming," I start walking, "So if he does attack, would it be better to lose a healthy and able fighter, or a wounded, impaired fighter."

"Well, I'm not letting you go headfirst into suicide!" she starts after me, but I wheel on her.

"You have to get those kids back to town, right?" I point to the former hostages, "Better do it, or they might get snatched again."

"..." she doesn't respond, and I hand her my rifle and bandoliers, knowing very well this could be my last time holding them.

"Take these," I say, a slow, creeping feeling digging into my soul, "If I got captured or something, they'd get them, and I can't have that."

"What, do you _want_ to die or something?" she scolds, "Getting rid of your weapon is suicide!"

"What I'm doing is already suicide!" I growl, "I'm only doing it because I'm the current best choice! I'm scared shitless right now!"

"You know, what? _Fine_ ," she snaps, snatching the rifle and storming back to the children, hefting both onto her shoulders, "I'll let you go kill yourself, you idiot," she turns away from me and sighs, glancing back, "I'll make sure to tell them what you did."

"You'd better go. Make sure they set up some kind of defense or something," I gulp as I stride deeper into the wood towards god knows what. _You know?_ I think to myself, _I think I should polish up on my German…_

-(I)-

"I have been walking," I groan into the transponder snail, "For _over six hours!_ "

" _Look, I don't know what you expect_ ," Wash's voice replies, his eyes drooping in boredom, Haruta having gone to take a power nap before the likely coming confrontation, " _It's not like this island is a small place_."

"Hey, I'm tired and about to face whatever the hell is out here without any weapons," I snipe.

" _That was your fault_ ," Wash rolls his eyes, " _You were the one who gave your gun to Rhea. You chose this._ "

"Could you just let me vent? It's the only way I can keep from crumpling in on myself," I sigh, a recipe of half cup frustration, one third cup anxiety, and just a pinch of panic and fear.

" _Fine,_ " Wash nods, then his eyes widen, " _You're close._ "

"Wait, seriously?" I ask, ducking into the trees, and I come across a clearing, "...What?"

" _What is it?_ " Wash asks, " _I can't see through the snail's eyes, you know_."

"There's… nothing," I search around the massive clearing, large enough to hold an army, with smouldering fires scattered throughout, the dirt churned and stomped as if a great host of people had been walking, but no one was there. There weren't even tents, "Only destroyed forest," I wander into the camp to investigate.

" _That's odd… A single, massive aura just flared up_. _I can't pinpoint where it is, but it covers every aura around, even you,_ " Wash furrows his brow, " _Well, take a look around anyways. They might have gone over the volcano. I'll warn everyone to get ready for an attack from that direction. Wash out,_ " the snail goes silent with a _katcha_.

"Well, this is certainly not normal," I mutter to myself, "For a group to all leave base camp like that…" I glance around me, noticing movement from the forest, "Oh, an ambush, of _course_ ," I clench my fist, nails digging into my palm, and I raise my voice, "What are you waiting for? I'm right here."

"I guess we should've expected this from a Whitebeard," two masked men step out of the trees, "So much for trying to be stealthy. Our boss took the liberty of covering our auras with his Haki, too."

"Wait, you mean that huge spike in Aura Wash was talking about?" I ask, "He said it covered everything. I can't use Haki, so I wouldn't know."

"How did you know we're here, then?" one of the others sneers.

"I saw you guys moving in the trees," I deadpan, "You aren't very good at the whole 'stealth' idea."

" _Why, you-!_ " the second one growls, but the first holds a hand up, stopping him.

"The kid is about to die," he smirks, "Why not tell him something, eh?"

I glance around, gripping the snail in my hand, thinking about broadcasting him to Wash. The two were clad in all black cloth, like stereotypical ninja garb and were in peak physical condition. The first one wore a red mask, which set him apart from the other guy, who wore a blue armband. "Say, what are you guys, the Color Coded Creepers? Seriously, you look dumb."

" _That does it!_ " blue armband - Blue, I suppose - lunges forward, but red mask - Red, as I'll call him - grips the back of his jumpsuit, pulling him back.

"Down, boy," he rolls his eyes, and snipes back at me, "Well, you don't look so hot yourself, green and tan."

I put on a fake smile, and I press the button on the side of the snail, which picks up immediately. "Alright, you got me. But still, how does that Haki masking idea work?" I say, trying to tell Wash the situation.

"That, yeah," Red shrugs, "From what I can understand, the Boss is a lot stronger than us, but he hides his full aura or whatever, so people don't know how strong he really is, but if he does release everything, his power casts something like a shadow over ours, so you can't sense anyone else's aura."

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow in legitimate surprise, "And why does he need to do that?"

"Well, because we're moving over the volcano to surprise attack the village over there," the man smirks under his mask, and the snail is swiped from my palm, and is crushed in the grasp of a third assassin, this one with a green sash across her hip, wearing garb similar to the men.

"What?" I jump back so that they are all in my line of sight.

"What, you didn't think we'd see that?" Red snorts, "Don't be stupid! Anyone could see that!"

"Well, crap," I grit my teeth, getting into a ready stance, and the three assailants prepare to attack.

"By the way," Red starts, then disappears as he _moves_ , appearing next to me in a millisecond, "I lied about them going over to the volcano," and he slams a fist into my gut, sending me stumbling back as I try to recover, "Kill him."

"This'll be fun," Blue grins, pulling out brass knuckles and sliding them on.

"You said it," Green grins sadistically, pulling out two bowie knives.

 _I can't react!_ I gasp as Blue and Green charge me, and throw my arms up to protect my face, clenching all my muscles into what _Iron Body_ I could use, _Shit, I should've brought my knives._

"Surprise!" Blue roars as he launches his fist forward into my arms, causing a jolt of pain to pierce my brain, and then another, and another, and another fist rains down on me, turning my limbs to jelly, but I was holding on for now.

"Keep him occupied!" I barely hear the green lady bark through the pounding of my heart in my ear, and a moment later, I feel a spike of pain as a blade slides through my right side, blood spurting out, and that was the last straw. My self-preservation didn't give two shits anymore.

" _Argh!_ " I roar, adrenaline pumping through my veins, and I catch Blue's next punch despite the pain it gave me, crushing his fist in my grip. They might be strong, but I was stronger. Karen had drilled that into me, " _Fuck off!_ " I bellow, twisting his arm with my right hand and socking him with a _crunch_ , sending him to the ground, "Hey, you were right. That _was_ fun!"

"Get away from him!" Green growls, kicking the side with the cut, sending a now-dulled message to my brain: _kill_.

" _Shave!_ " I bark, and my blood boils, pure, unadulterated _fury_ nullifying any pain, and I move, grabbing her by the throat and seeing her eyes widen in shock and terror for a split second before slowly crushing her windpipe in my grasp, and she claws at my hand, kicking and choking before her eyes slowly roll back into her head, and I toss her aside like a ragdoll, where she crumples to the ground. My entire outburst only lasted ten seconds.

"Damn, kid, that was impressive," Red furrows his brow, "I knew I shouldn't have brought those two… but, what can you do, amirite?"

I don't respond, only staring at him in rage, vision clouded and tunneled.

"Gee, kiddo," the assassin smirks, "You're really angry right now-"

 _Snikt_.

The sound of flesh being sliced echoes through my brain, and I lower my outstretched arm that had thrown the Bowie knife I grabbed from Green's body. " _Verdammt_ ," I _tsk_ , "I missed."

"H-h-how?" Red stammers, bringing a hand up to his ear, where the knife had sliced clean through, leaving a bloody mess, and the hood falls off, having been dissected, revealing a shock of blonde hair, "What- how- when-?"

" _Sie werden heute hier sterben, weil Sie mich angegriffen haben_ ," I growl, advancing on the assassin, " _Sie werden deinen Körper nicht finden_."

"I-I-I," the man panics, clutching his gushing ear and realizing the shit he's in, and _moves_ through the trees behind him, " _Help!_ "

 _Damn, he's faster than me_ , I frown, _Shaving_ after him, _I need to catch up before he gets anywhere_.

I pursue, and he leads me to a beach, where I could see the sails of a ship in the distance, sailing out of the bay. "Stay away from me!" he screeches, his blood soaking the sand, and I almost feel sorry for him, but then I remember why they were here in the first place, and I didn't care anymore.

" _Where is the rest of your crew!_ " I roar, striding out to meet him as he glances left and right, trying to flee.

"I-I can't tell you!" he screeches, "Cracker will kill me!"

"I'll kill you right now!" I grit my teeth, flexing my jaw, and the man sweats, obviously fearful of what was to come, and I advance.

"Have it your way," the man's expression turns to one of predatorial glee, and he kicks the ground, sending sand into my face.

" _Gah!_ " I cry out in surprise and pain as the grit blinds me, and a moment later I fall flat on my back as a fist rams itself into my nose with a _crack_ , and I know it's broken.

"I have you where I want you, kid," I hear Red snarl, and I gasp in raw pain as he kicks my side wound, embedding sand, salt and torture into my side.

" _Aaaaugh!_ " I scream, half from rage and half from agony, my rage no longer able to block the sensations flooding my brain, and I shut down.

"I'm going to kill you today, kid," I barely see the man pull out a dagger, and my eyes water as I try to open them, sand still inside, "Just like how your friends will die when the Boss comes from the sea, and not the forest. They won't see it coming."

 _No,_ I think as I squirm, the constant pain-filled fury clouding my thoughts clearing, No, _I will_ not _die today. I need to warn them, and I need to live, because I made a promise_ , in that moment, I felt a feeling that I hadn't felt since I entered this world, _A promise to my Grandpa that I would go on and live an amazing life. A promise that I would be courageous, kind, and stand up for those who can't protect themselves! A promise_ …

"Say goodbye," Red sneers as he plants a foot on my chest, and raises it as if he's performing a ritual sacrifice.

 _...A promise that I would never give up!_ my body goes limp as a shock runs through me, and I am torn away from my body. All my troubles, worries, and fears about death fade away as the blade plunges into my gut, tearing through my intestines, but I didn't feel pain, only release. Then, as Red shakily stands up, my arm acts on its own as a single drop of rain falls from the evening sky. Then another. And another. The rain pours down as I kick the assassin away, and my body stands, not by my accord but by something else. I was a passenger now, and I watched as my fists flung forward in the liquid sky, placing shots all over, pulverizing every inch of the body that I could see, and my arms begin to blur, moving at speeds I didn't think possible for my body. But it happened, even as he fell to the ground, and I planted a knee on his chest, my arms kept attacking, even after the point where they should've tired. Then, it stopped, and I regained control, whatever force was controlling me gone, and the exhaustion hits me like a truck, causing me to almost collapse.

"I'm not dying today," I stare down at the beaten and bloody form of Red, and glance at the knife in my gut, which had just begun to ache, _I can't take this out unless I want to bleed_ , I tell myself as my vision flickers, and I stagger off in the direction of the village, my energy rapidly waning, _Everyone, I'm sorry for being weak_ , I slam into a tree, attempting to support myself, _I tried. God, I tried_.

 _No._

I blink as my body collapses, a strange inner voice denying me release.

 _You aren't giving up_.

I feel a wave of cold chill me to the bone, and it travels down my spine.

 _You made a promise, you said it yourself._

Another wave shakes me, and I feel energy returning, forcing me to stand, and I take a step, then another. And another. I didn't think, only felt as the ground shifted beneath my feet.

 _You aren't weak. You are Ian Kelly. You are a Sergeant of the goddamn_ Whitebeard Pirates! _You are invincible!_

My steps increase in pace, and I am running now, feet pounding the earth.

 _You are the only thing that can save this island and its inhabitants_.

I am sprinting now, cold energy flowing through my veins, coating them in frost, and I push myself further, faster.

 _You cannot halt now._

I am screaming now, a voiceless sound, whipped away by the wind as my body blurs, feet raging along at two steps a second, then three, then four, and finally five.

 _You did what you were meant for, Kelly._

I can see the village through the trees just as the dawn breaks over the trees. I had ran for a whole thirty minutes, pushing myself past my limits, blood flowing from my gut, and as I burst through the foliage into the open meadow, into the light, I felt it. He was there.

 _Do me proud._

And I saw a wide, white smile behind the defensive barricade outside the village, facing the forest, with fifty guns bristling.

" _Don't shoot!_ " I hear Wash order from the wooden wall, and I summon up all my strength.

" _THE BEEEEEEEEACH!_ " I roar, my heart burning the ice away…

 _BANG!_

Even as the roar of a single rifle meets my ears, metal piercing my chest, and everything goes dark.

 **AN: How's that for an ending? Well, it's been a nice time, but I need to end the story here. Kelly is dead. So, thank you for reading!**

…

…

 **Got 'em! I kid, I kid. Augh, no! *shields self as brick flies through window* I'm sorry! Haha, but yeah, I'm taking the break off to spend time with family, so the next chapter might take a while. As always, if you have ideas or criticism, I will take them into consideration, so if you have any, send me a PM or review. See you next time!**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 **AN: Wow. Three hundred. I am… wow. I get that I make a big deal out of it every time we hit each hundred followers, but… I mean, I'm still dealing with the fact that I actually went through with writing this thing. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

Chapter 21

 _Kelly_.

The voice comes from the neverending white void around me, one that I can't tell is moving or still, whether I'm standing or laying down. I'm just… there.

 _Kelly, wake up_.

"Who's there?" I ask, but I don't have a mouth. I know that I said it, it's just… it comes out of everywhere.

 _I'm surprised, Kelly_ , the voice says again, _I've known you for such a long time and you don't recognize my voice?_

"G-grandpa?" I ask.

But the voice doesn't respond directly. _You need to wake up now. Your crew needs you. So why don't you give us a show, brat?_ At that moment, I felt myself being sucked away, away from that plane of existence, the very state of just… being, and forced to fall for an eternity.

"What do you mean? Wait! No!" I cry, trying to reach out but unable to grasp, having no real form, " _No!_ "

" _KELLY!_ " I feel the dirt under my back, a crusty grime covering my chest and stomach, and a wave of agony slams into my mind.

" _Augh!_ " I screech as I grasp at my chest, the grass around me stained with my blood, and I shake in shock and anguish.

" _Kelly!_ " I hear again, and someone slides next to me, patting my chest, " _Oh, God_ -" I hear them throw up as their hands come away, likely covered in blood.

" _I said don't shoot, dammit!_ " a voice I recognize as Wash's roars from the barricade, and I gasp as my body spasms, the piercing pain in my chest nearly unbearable.

"Kelly, talk to me," the person next to me urges, and I recognize them as Haruta. That would explain the puking. That pompous ass, "You're obviously able to make some kind of sound, but I need you to speak. S-p-e-a-k."

I sit there for a few seconds, stunned and still trying to wrap my mind around what had just happened. _Did I… die?_

"Kelly!" he slaps me, "I know you can hear me, you little shit."

" _F_ -" I cough up a glob of mucus and blood, "F _-uck_ you!"

"Oh, _wow!_ " I watch out the corner of my eye as he throws up his hands, "I try to be considerate and _that's_ the first thing you say!?"

" _Haruta_ ," I hear Wash, and the swordsman steps aside, allowing the grey-haired Lieutenant to look me over, "There isn't any significant damage… the bullet lodged inside the bone…" he mutters, "I never thought I'd be so happy to be low on gunpowder. Any more and you'd be dead," he smiles at me, but then becomes more serious, "Kelly, what were you talking about before?"

I lay there, staring at him. _The hell is he talking about?_ I furrow my brow, the pain in my chest getting worse, _Where was I before this?_

When I don't respond, the bubble-man points off in the distance. "You said something about the beach."

 _The beach!_ I go cold, all of it overpowering the pain. Haruta sending me to scout, meeting Rhea, the fight with the Color Coded Creepers, and what I was told about the attack. "T-the beach," I croak, a pressure starting to be applied to my chest, "Attack… beach…"

"They're attacking from the beach?" he asks, and I nod weakly, quickly losing strength, "They tricked us…" his eyes widen as a wave of pressure washes over us, and my vision flickers, " _Everyone, fall back to a defensive position! Guard your families! They flanked us!_ " he roars to those at the barricade, " _I need a stretcher! Get Kelly to the civilians, now!_ "

As the group retreats, and two men gather me onto a few wooden planks strapped together to haul me away, I feel droplets of rain fall on my face, and hear a roar from the other side of the village. "They're here!" one man says as the rain begins to pour, and as we all flee towards the volcano, I see them out of the corner of my eye.

They were countless, a formless horde bristling with sabers, rifles, and spears, all charging through the streets. There was no end. _Oh, god_ , I would have thrown up if I wasn't so half-dead, as the endless force closed in on our small group, sending us all into a panic. We would have been caught undefended had it not been for a small group of thirteen that detached to intercept, screaming battle cries and telling friends to say goodbye for them. I never saw what happened, as the guys carrying me turned down a street.

As thunder rumbled, I was taken to the far back of the village, the part that hugged the volcano, where a large cave was carved into the center of the rock, surrounded by a wooden barricade. Going a ways into the mountain, and I could see the civilians huddled in the back. A doctor inside took me in and tended to me, applying painkillers and bandaging my wounds and providing me with fresh clothes.

"That's unique," the doctor furrows her brow as she pokes around my chest, where I had been shot.

"What is it?" I ask, confused and, admittedly, a bit terrified.

"Well, you're lucky," the doctor says, "That bullet lacked the force to punch through your bone structure, which is actually surprisingly dense, even compared to people like Atlas. Did you take a lot of calcium when you were younger?" she asks.

"Yeah, I drank milk at every meal," I nod, and she raises her eyebrow.

"That's a surprise. Milk is hard to come by on a daily basis. Did you have a cow?"

"Yeah," I nod, going along with it.

" _Hm_. There's still a nasty gash, though, so be careful how you go about it. That stab-wound missed everything important, so you should be fine to move around on your own," she wraps bandages around my waist and chest, covering the bloodied sections, "Just don't push yourself too much."

"Thank you," I slide off the operating slab, gingerly slinging onto my bandaged back my gear, which was dropped off by Wash.

"Where do you think you're going?" the doctor asks, and I grab my belt as the crack of rifles and the slashing of sabers sounds outside, and I stagger out, looping the leather strap, my knives ready for battle.

"There's a battle going on out there," I respond shakily, checking my ammunition, "I'm not just going to sit here when all hands should be on deck."

"You're just going to hurt yourself!" the doctor goes to stop me, but I shrug her off.

"That's why you gave me painkillers, right?" I chuckle weakly, grimacing as some of the pain goes through.

"Gee, _that_ was cheesy," I hear someone scoff from the side, "You're hopeless."

"Who're you to say?" I glance to the side, but am only met with brilliant blue and green eyes.

"Someone that can think straight and thinks you should stay here," Rhea raises an eyebrow at me, my rifle in hand, and I have to say, she looked beautiful in a new way at that moment. Fun fact, I've always thought that combat and war games never do women justice. They're always shown with tank tops, short shorts, and armor that doesn't provide any purpose than to up the sexual tension in the air. Rhea? She blew that idea out of the park.

" _Huuuh…_ " I gawk. She was wearing a flexible leather cuirass that extended down to her knees and gauntlets/gloves over a grey long sleeved shirt. On her legs she wore leather greaves over black sweatpants that were tucked into leather boots. The flexible material, due to its nature, accentuated her curves and hips, and her messy shoulder-length hair made it seem like she just came from the middle of the fight. To put it simply: she looked hot _and_ well-protected.

"Stop staring," she orders, and I avert my exhausted eyes, face flushing with color, and I can feel my bullet wound start to leak as hy heart pounds, causing me to wince.

 _Goddammit, Kelly!_ I groan, ashamed, _Why do you have to go and be a creep?_ "Who said I was?" I smirk, and she raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, really? Well, aren't you just one chivalrous bastard," she rolls her eyes, "Stop lying."

I shrug, and my shoulder screams in pain, but I don't show it. "What if I'm not?"

"Whatever," Rhea scoffs, shoving my rifle into my arms, "You shouldn't go out there."

" _Like hell I'm not!_ " I try to raise my voice, but I stop as a weak pain goes through my chest, and I grasp at it, "I haven't done all I can yet."

"Well, I suppose if you're going out in that state, someone has to help you," the brown-haired girl sighs, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Oh~?" I ask, my tone implicative, "Is there a reason that you immediately turned around and now want to go fight with me~?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," she scoffs, "I met you three days ago, and I'm making sure that you don't die because you saved my town. I want to do my part too."

"I'm hearing a 'but' here," I grin, and a phantom of a smile flashes across her face, but it disappears just as quickly.

"But…" she turns, walking to the entrance of the cave, "I admire that you ran here in that state just to save people. Leon was right."

I smirk in confidence as I glance at myself. My chest was covered in bandages, and you could see the blood from my bullet wound already seeping through the linen, and I remember what I'd seen and the voice I'd heard, and a chill runs down my spine. "Well, I wasn't about to let you all down."

"So, that means I should always expect something, doesn't it?" I see a small smile as she turns her head, "C'mon, let's go help them."

"Yes, ma'am," I nod, staggering past the doctor, and I nearly collapse, but Rhea catches me, looking at me worriedly.

"Hey, you can't fight like that! _Do you want your injuries to get worse?_ " said doctor screeches, and I squint as Rhea helps me walk to the cave entrance, past the civilian and families cowering in fear, into the light. My answer was only a weak grin.

"Don't worry!" I wave - really just me sticking my arm out - feeling exhausted, given my lack of sleep, but I was determined to see it through, "I don't have any stitches, so you won't have to pull me back together twice!"

"Jesus," the doctor groans, and she pulls out two syringes, "Why this crew… Well, at least let me inject these," she presses the two syringes into my veins, and I gulp as the liquid inside rushes into my system, "This is another dose of morphine and a dose of adrenaline. The adrenaline should kick in in a few minutes, but the morphine will take a little longer. Good luck," she walks off into the cave, looking ticked as all hell and muttering about 'dumb pirates'.

"Kelly, are you sure about this?" Rhea asks me, and I nod, "Okay. Just know that even if you want to turn back, you've already saved more than enough people."

"Of course I'm sure," I grit my teeth, readying myself for the scene, "Let's go already," she nods, and we forge forward-

"Oi, what are you doing here?"

-only to immediately run into towering Atlas, and Rhea immediately drops me.

"Ow…" I groan, and Atlas narrows his eyes.

"Why are you here?" the titan rumbles angrily, and I struggle up, coughing through grit teeth, "And with my _daughter_ who I told to stay in the cave to _look after her mother_ ," he jerks his head to the cave, and Rhea starts to retreat - because who wants to argue with that massive of a dude - but I reach out with my right arm, despite the slight discomfort that moving the healing socket gave me, grabbing her wrist.

"I'm here to fight, _sir_ ," I growl, straightening as much as possible, pulling Rhea back and bringing up my rifle, pumping the lever defiantly and slipping in a stripper clip, "She's here to watch my back," so to ram my point home, I close the breach with a _click_.

"You're crazy if you think you can fight in that state," the man scowls.

"I am a Whitebeard, aren't I?" I shoot back, and the former second division commander glares at me.

"Kid, let me tell you something," Atlas sticks a massive finger in my face, "I have been through war. I've seen it when dumbass brats like you who think they're hot shit run headlong into battle only to show up the next day with half of their faces missing. I have seen brothers die side by side, blown to bits by cannon fire. I have seen Devil Fruits tear _children_ limb from limb…" he draws back the finger, narrowing his eyes, and I close mine, bracing for what was next, "But I haven't seen a kid as damn stupid as you."

 _Wait, what?_ I open my eyes in surprise, half from the comment and half from the adrenaline finally kicking in. That was admiration in his tone.

The titan explains. "Oftentimes, when children fight in wars, they see the carnage and immediately figure out that they can't be there. That they will die. But I don't see that with you," he gestures to my bandages, "You survived getting shot in the chest after running an insane distance, and even after risking your life, you still want to fight. Most kids would take being wounded as a chance to leave the fight. Run. But here you are. Still wanting to fight and with enough balls on you to stand up to me."

"So…" Rhea gulps off to my side, "I'm forgiven for following him out here?"

"Oh, no, I'm still furious," Atlas glares at her, "But, as long as you two _are_ here…"

"No, Atlas," Wash and Leon walk into the conversation, and Wash glares at the former Commander, "I sent you to intercept them and send them back, not be moved by Kelly's idiocy."

" _Borororo!_ What can I say?" the titan chortles, "I like the balls on this kid! And besides, he looks well enough to help us."

"No, absolutely not," Leon shuts him down, "For one, Kelly is wounded, and two, I couldn't face myself if I let them die."

"We're right here," I grunt, half from pain and half from annoyance, "We can hear you."

"Shut up, Kelly," Leon growls angrily, "I just learned that we are going to be attacked ten hours ago, and I had to gather the entire village and organize a defense against an unknown amount of enemies, so you don't get to be snarky with me."

"Woah, sorry, man," I stumble back, surprised. Leon has never been so aggressive, ever.

"No! I will _not_ take that!" he roars, "People have died! You had no right to keep this from me, to not tell me about the army at our doorstep! If you had told us all, we could've gotten away-!"

" _Leon!_ " Wash barks, slapping the rookie Lieutenant with a tendril of bubbles, " _Shut up!_ "

" _Like hell I will!_ " Leon rages back, furious, and he pulls the golden Celestial Dragon revolver from it's holster, pointing it at Wash, "It was you, wasn't it!? _You_ figured it out, _you_ told everyone to keep me in the dark!"

"Yeah," Wash calmly stares ahead, "Because I knew you would freak out and endanger the lives of the citizens."

Leon cocks back the hammer, preparing to fire. "We could've escaped-!"

 _Slam!_

"Both of you, zip it," Atlas tightens his grip on their skulls, having knocked them together, "That happened in the past. We can't do anything about it now, so how about we work with each other before going at each other's throats. Besides, Wash was right to keep you in the dark, Leon. If we organized too quickly, we may have sparked an early assault."

"Atlas, please never do that again," Wash stumbles away as the titan releases them - Leon fell to the ground, unconscious - rubbing his head, "I've been getting migraines ever since my fight with Raver, and that was worse than anything I've had recently."

"Uh, if I might ask?" I pipe up, realizing that this situation was missing a short brown-haired guy about my age, "Where is Haruta? I expected him to be here, all things considered."

"Haruta?" Atlas scratches his head, "You mean that feisty little kid that was sleeping? He ran off the moment we all retreated. Little coward."

"Now, I doubt that," Wash shakes his head, "Haruta isn't one to run from a fight. I think he might be looking for a bigger one."

"You mean the big guy back on the shore?" Atlas grunts, "The brat'd get squashed by that guy's boot."

"You wouldn't fare any better, with how rusty you've gotten over the years," Wash points out, and the titan goes silent.

"So, if I might ask," I glance around, not seeing any combat but sure that I'd heard it just minutes earlier. The place wasn't doing too well, though, with the large seven foot wooden logs that made the makeshift wall uneven and falling over. The small gate looked battered, like it would collapse in at any moment, and blood stained the ground near portholes for rifle fire, the bodies likely already moved out of respect, "Why aren't we in some desperate defense right now?"

"Yeah, they outnumber us by a lot," Rhea muses, "Why aren't they just trying to overwhelm us?"

"Well, let me show you," Wash picks up Leon and leads us over to a table with a map on it, one of the town.

"What is this? Besides the obvious fact that it's a map of the town," I study the paper, noticing the pencil marks forming the barrier, and dozens of arrows pointing out, likely various plans of attack.

"Well, we initially had this as a regrouping point, so that we could maybe organize a breakout to get the families onto boats," Wash gestures to the scribbled out illustration of the former barricade by the forest, and to red markings leading in from the beach, "But unfortunately, they tricked us-"

 _My fault_ , I furrow my brow, berating myself for my stupidity.

"-and now we only have this as our primary defense. I haven't heard anything from those we sent to watch the shoreline, unfortunately. I think they were obliterated by the big guy," Wash points to a blob of red near the town square, "Atlas and I felt a collection of their forces here," he points to the red arrows going towards the wall, "And it seems like they haven't been sending their full forces, just probing our defenses. They couldn't really attack because we're situated on a hill, and the rain makes it muddy and difficult to climb. But they're waiting for something, I can feel it."

"Well, what is it?" I ask, a stream of rainwater running the length of my scar, and I wipe it away.

Wash sighs. "I don't know. That's the problem."

"Well, send someone to figure it out," I rub my chin with my good arm.

"I can't waste an able-bodied person on a suicide mission, Kelly," Wash folds his arms, "We're surrounded. Whoever we sent would be caught and killed."

"Then send me," I suggest, my chest aching, "I'm one foot in the grave already, so I'm expendable!"

" _No_ ," Wash growls, suddenly aggressive with me, "I am not sending you to die, Kelly. You are too young, too weak. If I sent you on this mission, I wouldn't be able to face Pops or Leon ever again."

" _I'm volunteering myself, dammit!_ " I raise my voice, but Rhea covers my mouth with her hand.

"One second," she tells Wash, and drags me off to the side, "What are you trying to prove?" she snarls, grabbing my face and forcing me to look into her eyes. I gulp, half from a dry throat and half from the fact that my heart nearly fucking stopped. Ugh, that sounded cheesy, but it was the truth.

"I'm not trying to prove anything, it's a tactical choice," I snap back, pushing down the butterflies and actual absolute fear that was squeezing my chest, "I'm already wounded. I'm more of a liability than anything."

"Then why did you want to come fight, huh? Aren't you frightened of dying young or something?" Rhea furrows her brow, and I hesitate. She had a point.

 _Why_ am _I doing this?_ I ask myself in jumbled confusion, _Just yesterday, I was terrified of death, but now I'm not. Is it because I know what's after? That white void?_

 _ **So why don't you give us a show, brat?**_ That voice from the void resonates within my mind, and I grit my teeth, standing straight, towering over the brunette in front of me.

"Because I'm _not_ afraid," I say, feeling steeled determination rise up as my blood seems to rush - likely the adrenaline kicking in - and I push past her, Rhea's frankly shocked expression heightening the feeling of pride, and I _slam_ my hands onto the table, gaining everyone's full attention, "Buckswain Dexter," I stare right into Wash's grey eyes, which were swirling like a storm, "I have a plan."

"What is it?" he raises an eyebrow defiantly, likely at my use of his real - and full - name.

"I can go out and learn what exactly you're up against, and also try to infiltrate their ship," I explain, my gaze only locked with his, "But I need you to help me up to the roofs with your bubbles so I can get to the beach. Think you can do that?"

"I could give you a lift, but sending bubbles that far out would drain my strength too quickly. And besides, I'm not sending you out alone, Kelly," Wash stares me down, "And I can't waste anyone here to go with you, because you'd both be riddled with bullets. Unless…" he wheels on Atlas, "Hey, Commander-"

"Former Commander," Atlas reminds him.

" _Former_ Commander Atlas," Wash corrects himself, "Would you be able to keep this place safe if I leave with Kelly?"

"Wait, what?" I blink, surprised that he would actually offer, considering the situation.

"Yeah, I'd say I could," the titan nods, "As long as Leon wakes up."

"Good," Wash nods, "Kelly, let's get going. I can make a bridge over everyone and shield us."

"Why not just flood them all with bubbles?" I suddenly realize that Wash could defeat everyone almost instantly, "You can do that, can't you?"

"Ah," Wash rubs his neck, pale skin flushing pink, "I can't."

"Why not?" Rhea scoffs, rejoining the situation, "Aren't Devil Fruits all bullshit or something?"

"They aren't as all powerful as you think," Wash shakes his head, "There are rules and weaknesses. Mine just happens to be water and rain," he glances at the stormy sky, dozens of gallons pouring down on us, "It melts my suds too fast. It's why I'd only be able to make a bridge to the rooftops, and even that would dissipate quickly."

"Isn't that kinda dumb?" the brunette raises a brow at the grey-haired man, "I mean, you're a Whitebeard that becomes useless when he gets rained on. That's stupid."

"Well, I can't do anything about it, can I?" Wash shrugs dismissively, but his eyes glinted with dangerous mischief, "And who said I was useless? I still have my Haki, and I _was_ the first mate of a skilled martial artist. That same lady just so happens to be training Kelly as well."

"Wait, you mean Karen?" I scratch my head, shuddering slightly, "Oh yeah, I forgot that she used to be a Captain before joining us."

"Yeah. We should head out before whatever it is they want gets here," Wash guides me to the wall, "I'll push you over. Act like a dead body, so that they won't suspect anything."

"You going to protect us as best you can?" I say, and Wash nods.

"I can still make a shield, so yeah," he cradles his hands, "Up you go!"

 _Welp, out of the frying pan_ , I steel myself as I'm pushed up and over, falling over the makeshift wall and collapsing limp on the other side. A moment later, I hear a _squelch_ as Wash falls onto the mud next to me.

" _Start rolling_ ," I hear the Lieutenant whisper, and I tilt my body, allowing the slick mud to carry me down the hill, where I bump into a house.

"Who goes there?" I hear a voice come through the sheets of rain that were now pouring down.

" _Stay still_ ," Wash hisses next to me, a beam of light shining on us through the darkened sky, and I shut my eyes, holding my breath as the _squish_ of feet in mud make their way towards us.

"The hell is this?" the voice, reedy and high, says, and another set of feet walk up.

"I dunno," the second voice, burly and rough, grunts, "What does it looks like? Couple of dead bodies

"I can _see_ that, you damn blight, I mean why are they here?" the first voice asks, "They aren't ours, and it ain't like the ol' Whiteys to dump their precious 'brothers' out in the rain."

"They's probably getting desperate, though," the burly man reasons, "I mean, this rain ain't making the dirt very good. Besides, in a battle it don't matter what you do."

"Yeah, yeah," I hear a _squelch_ to my left as they presumably roll Wash over, and I can feel the moisture from the watery ground seeping through my bandages, "Oi, don't this guy look familiar?"

"Yeah, ain't he that Lieutenant? Was' his name…" voice two muses, "'Whitewasher' Dexter, right?"

"Yeah, I think it is, but he looks like shit," reedy man chuckles, "We ought to go tell the others!"

"This second one's all bandaged," I feel a large foot push against me, and I'm rolled over, a light shining in my face, which I try to stay relaxed to, "Young, too."

"You sound almost sick," reedy man sneers.

"I don't like all this," burly man turns the light away, and I crack open my eyes, seeing a lantern to my right, "First, we's attack a harmless settlement, and now we's killing kids."

" _Ugh_ ," I glance to my left, and a very thin figure stands over me, "You're always like this, Buck! Grow a stomach, would ya?"

"Well, it's just…" I glance right, where a much more built figure towers, "I gots my own kid back home abouts his age. If I lost him, I couldn't live with meselfs anymore. Ain't we doin' that to this kid's mum and pa? Why are we's even here? It ain't even some strategic point or anything!"

"Jeez, ya damn blight!" reedy man growls, "Don't ya remember? These bastards' captain attacked one of our Islands! Razed it to the ground! These fucks killed my baby girl!" he slams a foot into my side, and I struggle to remain still as my chest screams, heart pounding, "And then they had the _gall_ to raise their damned flag over the ashes. They deserve to burn like us."

"Ya have a point…" the burly man, Buck, sighs, "But it still don't feel right. These people didn't do it."

"Whatever," I hear _squelches_ as the pair leaves, and I gasp, the pain beginning to seep through again.

"Kelly, you good?" I hear Wash ask, and I wheeze, hardly able to respond.

"Yeah…" I struggle, and dry heave on the ground, "Just… fine…"

"Good, because we need to move," Wash grabs my arm and slings me over his shoulder, "Hang on. _Bleached Pillar!_ "

 _Wha-?_ I think groggily before he suddenly lurches, launching up into the air, and we land on a rooftop, the pillar of bubbles quickly dissolving behind us. "Ugh, Jeez, don't you understand sarcasm?"

"Be quiet," Wash creeps over the rooftop, and after a final dry heave, I follow, traversing the slippery surface, "Look."

"What am I looking at?" I ask as I see large black lumps below, covered by canvas tents, with people milling about, "What the…?" I squint, and am able to make out three cylindrical designs, all mounted on wooden platforms, "Wait, are those what I think they are?" I gulp, and Wash nods.

"They brought cannons," Wash pulls out a transponder snail and pushes the button, "Atlas…? Yeah, it's Wash. They have cannons. Get everyone to the cave and form a volley fire line… God help us…"

 _Mein Gott_ , my heart pounds as I see movement, and I squeeze my eyes shut as the first of the guns booms, unable to watch.

 **AN: Finals week… is hell… I have no idea when I'm gonna update next. I don't have much to say other than that, so I'll see you next chapter!**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

 **AN: Hey, everyone! Finals week is over, so I'm back, baby! The story now has over 100k words, so that's feeling great! Here's to many chapters more. Welp, let's get to the story!**

Chapter 22

 _BOOM!_ The cannon explodes, a ball of cast iron soaring up the hill, and I can hear the _crack_ as the makeshift wall splinters, and moments later, the other two do the same, and I open my eyes, glancing at the hill. The wall had three gaps, each torn through the logs, and I could see the lights of the small camp retreat back, doing as Wash had ordered.

"We need to take those cannons out," I say to wash over the pounding rain, "They'll get slaughtered!"

"We can't," Wash grinds his teeth, obviously wanting to do just that, "If we make ourselves known, this rain will make it impossible for me to guard us long enough to escape. We can only hope that the others can save themselves."

"Damn," I growl, frustrated at how helpless I am to stop the bombardment, and I sling my mud-covered gun off my back, trying to cock it to check the ammunition, but the lever gets stuck halfway, "Ah, _damn!_ " I hiss in distress as I look at the mix of dirt and water covering the thing.

"What?" Wash asks, and I show him the rifle.

"The receiver is stuck with mud! I can't do anything with this now," I groan, frustrated, and Wash pats my shoulder.

"Hey, let me take a look at that," he holds out his hand, and I pass the weapon to him, " _Bleach_ ," he mutters, and a large mass of bubbles come out of his palm, surrounding the old gun, and Wash holds it to the rain, where the bubbles are washed away. What remained was a completely clean rifle.

"Woah, that's useful," I grin, remembering Khalifa's use of the fruit, and I partially pull the lever, opening the receiver enough to see inside, "And it even cleaned the interior! Nice."

"Let's go, now," Wash jerks his head, and we take off, slipping over the rooftops towards the beach. The speed that I had gained in my time on the crew was helping, and I was able to keep myself from falling through the gaps, but the feeling of dread slowly creeped up my gut as we moved closer and closer to our destination.

"Wash," I ask, and the Lieutenant glances back, "Where is Haruta, anyways? Can you feel him?"

"Yeah, he should be on the beach," Wash replies, "He's been there for a bit, just standing in front of their Commander."

"Are they fighting?" I ask, and Wash shakes his head no as we leap over the streets, "That's odd… You would think they would be with Haruta's temperament."

"Yeah, something odd is going on here," Wash grimaces, "I can't put a finger on it. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"Actually, I think I do," I rub my chin, legs pumping on the roof, "I mean, remember what those two Mom Pirates said? About us attacking one of their Islands? We never did that, not to my knowledge anyways."

"Yeah… definitely suspicious," Wash sighs, "But, we can figure this out later. For now, we have to worry about protecting ourselves. What exactly was your plan, by the way?"

"Well, the landing boats are all on the shore, right?" I receive a nod as we arrive at the treeline, delving into the greenery and moving ever closer to our goal, "If we use one of those, we can board their ship, and take it over, denying them escape for when Pops comes."

"Okay, good plan," the Bubble-Man pushed aside a branch in our path, "But know that I might have to stay behind to stall."

"I understand- _oh…_ " I groan as my vision suddenly wavers, and my head spins, "Oh, jeez," I clutch my skull, slamming my arm into a tree to stabilize, and I hear a harsh _crack_ through the rain.

"Are you okay?" Wash rushes over, and I see static around the edges of my vision.

"I- I'm fine," I wave him off, recovering, "I haven't eaten or drank anything for awhile. That must be it."

"Hmm…" the Lieutenant raises an eyebrow sceptically, about to say something, but he closes his mouth and glances to the beach, which I can see through the small waterfalls of rain dripping down from the canopy above, "Well, we're getting close, so I can grab you some on their ship."

"Let's go, then," I start, lurching forward, but Wash holds out an arm, stopping me.

"They're fighting again," he explains, likely referring to Haruta and the unknown other, and sure enough, the constant screech of steel could be heard through the rain, "We need to move as fast as possible. Ready?"

"Ready," I nod, tensing myself, my heart pounding.

" _Now!_ " we sprint through the treeline onto the wet grass hill leading down, the sound of sword clashing with sword coming closer, but no visible fight can be seen. I quickly look around, head on a swivel, and I quickly catch sight of a familiar red and black hull.

"Wash, there!" I yell, sprinting towards it, and the Lieutenant dashes after me. I make it to the small boat first, slinging my rifle onto my back and tightening my knife belt, grabbing the sides and pushing the _Nicholas II_ to the sea.

"Kelly, watch out!" I hear Wash yell over the rain, the waves crashing onto the shore, and I drop, falling onto the soaked sand as a gargantuan form passes over me, only to be shoved away by a powerful gale.

" _Hey, you fuck!_ " I hear Haruta's high tenor, and I peek over at Haruta, his shakespearean attire tattered and sliced, "You're fighting me, not them!"

"I'll fight whoever I want, you little fly!" a crazed voice barks, and on a whim, I dive into the _Nicholas II_ , and not a moment too late, as a massive sword embeds itself into the outer wood shell, where I was only moments before, "And besides! These idiots put themselves into this situation!" I glance over the rail as the man tears his sword out of my boat, and I gulp at his familiar purple baguette hairdo and scarred face. His massive shoulder guard and sword, _Pretzel_ , were huge in reality, and I knew one hit would cleave me in half.

 _That's fucking Cracker!_ I internally scream as I remember the Whole Cake Island Arc and how easily he beat Luffy back with his biscuit armor, but then I noticed something. He wasn't wearing it, _What? Why isn't he in his armor? He could beat us easy that way…_ I then remember the rain, and suddenly understand, _Oh, he can't use his fruit well because of the rain, just like Wash. But either way, he's worryingly untouched, whereas Haruta is all torn up…_

"Kelly," Wash makes it to the boat, pulling me out and away from the hulking man, "Do you think you can hijack that ship alone?"

"Why?" I ask, confused, a million thoughts going through my mind, "I mean, I think I could, but-"

"What are you idiots jabbering on about?" I quickly dive to the side as a massive blade slams between us, it's owner grinning maniacally, "I oughta just take you out now before you screw everything up!" his eyes lock onto mine, and I see nothing but sick glee, " _Honey Pretzel!_ " he roars as he pulls the massive saber back, and stabs forward, the blade glistening.

" _Gale!_ " I hear Haruta cry. A wall of wind slams into my attacker and I, and _Pretzel_ is pushed away, striking the sand five feet to the left of my head, "Why won't you just give up already?" Haruta yells, his voice annoyed, and the rain pounds on my head.

"You're one to talk!" Cracker shoots back, yanking the sword out of the sand, and I see an opening, quickly yanking my Baselard from it's sheath.

" _Ha!_ " I yell, stabbing at Cracker's stomach, but am only met with Haki-black skin.

"Did you just try to stab me?" the Sweet Commander's eye twitches, "You little shit!" he kicks me away, a jolt of pain going through my neck as it is whipped back, and my bruised arms go limp, the shock stunning me.

"Ow…" I groan, sitting up, and a wall of white suddenly appears, a sword embedding itself into it a moment later, " _Jesus!_ "

"Kelly, get to that boat!" Wash yells at me as he extends an arm, a stream of bubbles ramming itself into Cracker's Haki-imbued stomach, " _Bleached Fist!_ "

" _Son of a bitch,_ " I hiss as I sprint through the carnage after sheathing my Baselard, a blade of wind flying over my head. I quickly make it to the small black and red boat for the second time today, "Okay, Wash!" I call over to the bubble-man, whose fist was quickly being melted away by the rain, "What now?"

"Get in!" the Lieutenant responds, quickly backpedalling as Haruta engages Cracker, an I oblige, "Now hold on!" he creates another large hand, and the hand wraps around my vessel.

"Wait," it suddenly dawns on me, and my eyes widen, " _Waitwaitwait-!_ "

"Give 'em hell, Kelly!" the Lieutenant rears back and flings me, sending me flying over the sea towards a ship in the distance.

" _Aaaaaaaaaaah!_ " I scream, gripping the ship with white knuckles as wind whips against my face, and I brace as I close in, the sounds of battle behind me fading.

 _CRUNCH_.

My teeth rattle as I slam into the deck of the large vessel, the newly toughened hull of the _Nicholas II_ cracking the deck of my impromptu runway, and I slide to a stop. " _Ugh_ ," I groan as I flop out of the rowboat, head spinning, "Perfect… landing…"

"Hey, who're you?" an aggressive voice asks, and I open my eyes to see five pairs of boots.

 _Ugh, I can't catch a break,_ I groan silently as I push myself up, the rain soaking my bandages and bare back, and stare the five men and women before me. There were three women and two guys, two of the women and one man with sabers and the others with muskets. "Sup," I say nonchalantly.

" _Die, Whitebeard!_ " one of the saber wielders - a woman - charges me, waving he saber, and she bears down on me.

"Wow, really?" I ask as I quickly slide my parrying dagger out of its sheath in a reverse grip with my left hand and bring it up, catching the saber on the place where the hilt and blade meet, and quickly spin around the larger weapon, lashing out with my right elbow at my assailant's temple. She never knew what hit her as she crumpled to the floor, "You're going to assume my affiliation without even asking me first? I'm offended!" I turn to the other four, smirking, "But she's right."

"Get him!" generic pirate dude number one raises his gun, and I quickly re-sheathe my dagger, swinging my rifle from behind my back and pressing it against my shoulder, plugging a shot in both the shoulder he held his gun against and his leg, one after the other, " _Augh!_ "

" _Billy!_ " generic pirate dude two cries in anguish, and he charges me, the other sword lady behind him, "Die, Whitebeard!"

"You know," my eye twitches as I leap to the side, my chest wound beginning to sting again, "You're the second one to say that to me today," I grab his wrist, crushing it, and the saber clatters to the ground as the man staggers back, clutching his arm, "It didn't go well," I grasp the stock and barrel of my rifle, ducking, spinning and slamming the laquered wood end of the gun into the jaw of the woman who was behind him, knocking her to the ground.

 _Bang!_ / _Crack!_

I jump as the butt of my rifle splinters into a dozen pieces, my chest exploding into pain as images of flaming bodies and white voids flash through my mind, and I stand there, shocked, as everything goes silent. _What the hell was that?_ I ask, eyes glancing around me, swiveling this way and that, looking for the source of my newfound panic, and I find it in a crazy-eyed woman holding a rifle.

"You killed them, you bastard!" she screams, charging me with the gun held as a club, and I sling my stockless rifle behind my back. These people were moving so much slower than Karen and Levi, and as the gun is brought down, I grab the stock, yanking it out of her hands. Then, I spun it around and swing like I was back playing baseball in the backyard, the lady flopping back onto the deck.

"Home run," I growl, and a _click_ behind me catches my attention, and I turn to find the man whose wrist I had crushed still standing, his other hand clutching a pocket knife, "What, are you gonna stab me with your knife?" I ask, and the man charges, screaming. I use my right hand to pull my Baselard out, "That's not a knife," I grin, putting on my best Australian accent, and the man slows, quickly backpedalling, "This… _this_ is a knife," I watch in satisfaction as the pirate leaps off the side of the ship, frantically thrashing towards the nearby shore. _Alright_ , I think to myself as I slowly realize no one else was onboard, _I just captured a ship by myself!_ as I bask in the feeling of a job well done, I remember the stock of my rifle, " _No no no no no,_ " I mutter to myself as I hurriedly grab the weapon from off my back, taking in the splintered wood, " _No!_ Goddamnit," I hiss, taking a closer look at the damage. Upon closer inspection, I see that the important pieces were in their places, and it was only the oak stock that was damaged. _Thank god…_ I sigh, and I feel water drip into my wound, causing it to sting, _Ah, I had better fix that…_ and with that thought, I delve into the innards of the wooden behemoth.

As I wandered the ship, I made my way to the lower deck, where a collection of cannons were lined up along the side, all facing the shore, and a thought went through my mind as I looked out of the portholes and saw the top of the hill, now rubble and splintered wood, a horde of pirates swarming. I glanced down, to the shore, and saw through the rain three forms battling, with wind and bubbles flying. _I can use these,_ I realize, and I open the hatch on the back of one cannon to find it already loaded and ready to fire, _But… how? I don't want to kill anyone…_ I look at the hill again, and at the stone above the cave, and an idea forms. I quickly move the cannon back into place, and go down the line, aiming them as best I can up above the cave. Going back to the first, I grab a large iron, setting the end alight with nearby matches. I run down the line, setting the cannons alight.

 _BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!_

The cannons roar, sending their payloads flying, and I watch with satisfaction as the stone above the cave explodes, sending rocks and rubble tumbling down, blocking the entrance. " _Woo!_ " I pump my fist, and I quickly move further into the ship as my chest pangs. _Ah, jeez,_ I gulp, but stop as I come across a white painted room with beds lining it and cabinets on the walls, _Perfect_ , I grin, walking to the cabinets, and I look through the drugs inside, finding a syringe labeled 'morphine'.

 _I doubt this'll kick in anytime soon, but it's better to be prepared,_ I think as I press the needle into my shoulder, pushing slowly on the plunger as the foreign liquid flows into my veins, _Now, where are the bandages?_ I search around the room, rummaging through drawers as cabinets, and I pull out a roll of fresh white cloth. I quickly undo my own bandages, wet, muddy, and blood-covered, and toss them into a trash bin nearby. It's at that point that I go up to a mirror and look at myself.

I looked like shit. Like, if a pig and a chimp had babies, that would be what I looked like. My hair was ruffled, the slight red tint drowned out by sopping wet dirty-blonde, which had turned nearly brown in the rain. There was a small gap in my chest, about three inches in diameter, right in the center. I could see the myriad of flesh and bone, covered in blood, which was beginning to clot. Right in the center of that wound there was a small, warped indent on the bone. I nearly threw up at the sight. "Oh, god," I wince as I feel the skin around the wound, and the dried blood flakes away, "I should've listened to the doctor…" I suppress a gag, lathering the interior of the new bandages with antibiotic gel, and I wrap up my chest and back, "This thing is kind of ruined," I look at my discarded green tank-top, which was covered in grime and mud, "I wonder what they have for clothes around here…?" I wonder as I walk back out into the halls. But it was strange. I still couldn't remember what I had seen after I was shot, only that one phrase…

 _Fwoom_.

" _Ah,_ " I gasp as a wave of pressure passes over me, bigger and more powerful than anything I'd seen before, " _Ack_ \- _Ungh_ …" I groan as I slump to the side, my shoulder slamming into a wall, and in my mind, the image of a massive beast engraves itself, " _Wha…_ " I struggle, hopelessly grasping onto my consciousness, " _Hah…_ " I gasp again, spit frothing at the corners of my mouth as my mind quickly deteriorates into nothingness.

 _Fwoom_.

A second monster, equally as large and powerful as the first, invades my mental plane, and as my eyes roll back into my head, I see the two slam into each other, attempting to force each other down. I was helpless as I slumped to the floor, helpless as the power of two Emperors clashed.

 _Jeez, I can't catch a break…_

-( **Haruta** )-

" _Crash Pretzel!_ " Cracker roars as he runs at me, his giant greatsword glowing.

 _This guy won't die!_ I internally screech as I step to the side, my tattered clothes doing little to stop the cold rain from getting to me. For a summer island, this place had more of a 'spring' feel.

 _Boom_.

The giant sword explodes, the force sending me flying like a ragdoll, and I twist in the air, catching the wind underneath my feet and launching myself back at him. " _Countered, biotch!_ " I yell, spinning as I soar closer, "And… _Whirlwind!_ " I twist defiantly, one last time, my graceful horizontal slash kicking up the sand beneath me as razor sharp blades of wind slam into this invader, this 'Sweet Commander' of the Mom Pirates, "Not so tough now, are you?" I smirk as I leap away and land next to Dexter, my fellow Lieutenant, more well-known as Wash by our lower-rank crewmates.

"You do know he probably blocked that, right?" the grey-haired raining on my parade deadpans, and I scoff.

"Of course he didn't! My attacks will cut through any shield!" I scowl, "It doesn't matter if he saw it coming, he- _Oh, son of a bitch!_ " I yell as the dust settles, and an obliterated block of that bread crap the guy bragged about before we fought was sitting there, protecting him. It was covered in Haki, and I could see it slowly dissolving in the downpour.

"Told you," Dexter grins slightly, and I glare at him.

"Oh, like you could do any better, with that weakness to rain," scoffing, I bring up _Akari_ once more, the blade of the skillful grade sword glistening in the rain.

"Just watch me," Dex steps forward as Cracker casts aside his large shield, " _Bleached Spear!_ " he roars as he brings back a fist and punches, a large spike of bubbles forming and shooting toward the purple-haired menace.

"You think that will work?" Cracker sneers, and another piece of biscuit forms around his arm, making another shield, " _Think again!_ " the white spike began to pick up speed as it slowly melted away in the rain, and the look of concentration on Dex's face made me a bit worried inside.

 _Fwoom._

I halt as a wave of pressure washes over the three of us, the familiar feeling of having your mind crushed by Pops' Conqueror's Haki making me a bit dizzy. _C'mon, Haruta! You've dealt with this before!_ But I wasn't the only one having trouble. Dex and Cracker looked just as bad as felt, and as my dizziness turns to vertigo, I nearly throw up. _Pops has never been this uncontrolling with his Haki before! What happened?_

 _Fwoom._

" _Augh!_ " I groan as a second wave of Conqueror's Haki slams into me, this one foreign, but I could feel the image of a massive beast trying to engrave itself in my mind. Then, the two powers in my mind began to brawl.

"Mother!" I hear Cracker a few feet away, "The hell's going on!?"

 _He doesn't even know what this is,_ I gulp, falling to my knees and dropping _Ikari_ as I try to endure the pressure, _The fuck happened? Is the old man fighting Big Mom or something?_ I was like this for what seemed to be hours, curled up like a little kid scared of their angry dad, which I suppose was the equivalent of what was happening right now. Then, it stopped, as if nothing had happened at all.

" _Ugh_ , ow," I groan, "I recognized Pops, but…?" I glance at Dex through the rain, only to find the other Lieutenant passed out in the soaked sand, " _Great…_ " I mutter. He must have not been able to take the force of two Emperors. I guess I should thank Thatch for his Haki training.

"That would be my mother," Cracker comments, and my eyes widen as I remember who I was fighting. I grab _Ikari_ from the ground and jump up on the wet sand, going back over what Thatch had always told me in our training sessions. _Watch your enemy's movements. Be aware of their attacks, and punish. Keep in mind their weaknesses, because that could change the battle in a second._

"So…" I grit my teeth, "Are we going to keep fighting, or what?"

"Well, I don't see why not," Cracker stands and picks up his giant greatsword, holding it with one arm, "You know, if this rain wasn't here, you'd all be swarmed by my creations."

"Those giant bread soldiers?" I grimace, remembering how ugly those things were, but one was on his 'Wanted' poster, so that was legit what I thought he looked like, "Those things got all soggy and shit."

"Yep," Cracker smirks, gloating almost, "It's a good thing for you that my weakness is water. Otherwise, you'd be _dead!_ "

 _Wait_. I halt, a smile slowly spreading across my face.

"Whitebeard," the Biscuit-Man growls, "What's with that smile?"

 _Hold up_. I suppress a laugh, shaking from anticipation.

"What is it?" Cracker growls, his smirk turning to a frown, demanding a reason.

"So your weakness is rain?" I ask with a slight grin, knowing that the Sweet Commander was getting irked.

"Yes, what's so wrong with that?" the Sweet Commander narrows his eyes.

" _Pfehehe_ ," I chuckle, "Fuckin' wimp."

" _That's it!_ " Cracker roars, planting his feet in the sand, " _You're dead! Honey Pretzel!_ " he rockets towards me, blade turning black and glistening like it was coated in liquid sugar. Or… honey… ah, damn it. If anyone else heard what was going on in my head, that would be embarassing.

I see his path in my mind's Observation Haki eye. "Not today, cracker addict!" I say gleefully as I leap up, planting a foot on the outstretched blade, pushing off of it and flipping over Cracker until I am right over his head, and I send my will through _Ikari_ , covering the blade in a black shell, " _Tempest!_ " I cry, stabbing down in a flurry so fast my blade is blurred. However, my attack is interfered with by one of those soggy bread blocks, and only a few of my hits make it through, sinking into his shoulders.

" _AUGH!_ " I hear the grown man screech like he was a bat outta hell, " _You bastard!_ " as I land, the man spins on a dime and swipes at me, a dark liquid flying off the blade, " _Molasses Pretzel!_ "

"Jeez, I just nicked your shoulder," I grit my teeth as I jump back, a few of the droplets landing on my clothes, "You-" I stop as I feel a tug where the liquid - molasses, I guess - landed on me, and a _rip_ noise as the clumps fell, tearing away parts of my shirt and pants. _Holy crap, that stuff is heavy!_ I gulp as I realize the liquid would slow me if I got hit again. Suddenly, I feel a sensation at the back of my mind, and I see a phantom of another molasses slash coming at me, " _GoddamnbullcrapDevilFruits!_ " I yell as I leap up, feet striking the humid air ten times per second, sending me higher. I glance down, seeing Dexter's limp form in the sand, and know that I have to lead Cracker away from him.

"Get back here so I can kill you, brat!" Cracker roars, enraged.

"Come get me then!" I snipe back, and I see his ship in the distance, " _Better place than any, I suppose,_ " I mutter, and I run my way down there, _If I can knock him into the water, I can win_.

"Get back here!" I hear Cracker yell, and I risk a glance back.

"Well, that's new," I blink, skidding to a stop on the soaked deck. The Sweet Commander was surfing across the water on a chunk of biscuit, using his giant sword to explode behind him as propulsion, jumping off and making a new board when the old one gets soggy. I glance up as the rain goes from a normal downpour to a slight drizzle, with the clouds parting to allow beams of sunlight through. _Shit_ , I curse my bad luck. Now those bread things would be tougher, which I didn't want, _I need a way to end this before the rain ends._

My Haki goes off, and I roll to the side just as _Pretzel_ obliterates the place I was standing moments before. " _Honey Pretzel!_ "

" _Rrgh_ ," I growl as I hop up, thinking of what I could do, " _Gust!_ " I yell, stabbing forward with _Ikari_ , and the wind around the tip compresses and shoots forward, only to be met by a much less soggy biscuit.

"Now I don't even have to use Haki, you damn Whitebeard," Cracker sneers, and he throws the chunk at me, which I promptly dodge-

 _Crack!_ I hear the sound ring through my skull as a second biscuit flies out of the first, hitting my temple. " _Ah_ ," I hiss, vision shaking uncontrollably, and I close my eyes to prevent reliance on a flawed sense. _There!_ I dodge another chunk as my Haki warns me, then another, and another, these seeming to not be trapped. The Sweet Commander keeps throwing the chunks of biscuit my way, each seeming to have a different shape and form than the others. Then, it stops, "What's wrong?" I ask, cracking open my eyes, which were still a little shaken, but not as bad as before, "Run out of useability? _Pfehehe!_ " I start to laugh, but see a chunk of what seems to be more bread fall from above, and three shadows cover me, "I… huh?" I glance up, and my eyes widen, stomach dropping, as three giant monsters stand above me, and the rain finally comes to a stop, "Uh… hi?" I gulp as one raises the giant _Pretzel_ replica in its four hands, and I _dash_ away as it slices the deck in two.

" _Aaaahahahaha!_ " I hear Cracker laugh maniacally, "Now you see what I was talking about, yeah? My unkillable creations!"

"Unkillable my left testicle!" my eye twitches as I appear on top of the mast, saber ready, " _Whirlwind!_ " I send my favorite ranged attack down at the three monsters, but the winds dissipate on their weird buttery armor, "The fuck?" I frown, but I can sense Cracker's aura behind me, and I've had it with running away. Wash wasn't around, and the only ones on the ship that I could see were four unconscious guys and girls laying on the deck, " _Fuck off, Cracker_ \- oh… oooh…"

"Hello!" Cracker, in a massive suit of biscuit, was behind me, having jumped all the way up to the top of the mast, and I jump away as three massive swords swipe through where I was.

" _Running away is fine_ ," I gulp, realizing I was outmatched, and I _Moonwalk_ away, above any of the biscuit monsters, "How am I going to get out of this?" I grind my teeth, running every idea through my head as I hop in place. _A frontal attack is out the window, seeing as how I'm both outnumbered and outgunned. I may be able to dodge, but one mistake would kill me. I'm not crazy_ , I silently berate myself as the wind blows around me, _Why are you so weak, damn it! Ugh, I couldn't even try a sneak attack, with that armor crap. If only I had Wash, he could tank their hits with his bubbles no problem!_ I bit my lip as I think of my last resort. A little something that I have been working on for months, focusing with Thatch's guidance. It's a ranged sword slash that I came up with in order to compete with legends like Vista and Hawkeye, maybe even Red-Haired Shanks one day, but it would have to do now, since I couldn't stay up here forever, "Damn corners…" I mutter, "Forcing me into them all the time."

I begin the start-up. Something that I'd practiced hundreds of times before. First, I imbue _Ikari_ with every last bit of willpower I have, as the power of the slash would shatter the blade it if it wasn't reinforced. Then, I begin to calm, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, as any indecisiveness would dissipate the strike. I felt the sun on my face, the sea mist on my skin, and the wind through my hair.

The wind. The one thing I found the most wonder in. It was both graceful and powerful, with patience wearing down entire mountains and carving out valleys. It turns even the strongest of rocks to dust, and from the gentlest of breezes to the most furious of gales it travels the world. Spinning, swirling, it controlled the direction that life goes. A force that is powerful beyond anything the world has seen. A force that I strove to be like.

That was a force that I had reigned in to my will.

I was falling now, slowly spinning but picking up speed, flying with the wind, and as I plummeted, I could feel _Ikari_ hum in my hand, my very soul shivering next to it. The blade of the weapon was shaking, shaking with the power, the force, the very being of the wind rushing past me, but it was shaking with something else. Something foreign. _Ikari_ , my weapon, was named after anger, and that anger was filling my senses, a nameless fury that I was going to harness, and as I open my eyes, only one hundred feet above the mast, I saw in my mind's eye a massive bird, one that flew with the power of hurricanes, and I spin one last time, bringing about the anger that surged through me. The fury.

I slash down, the fury slicing through the ship and into the ocean, parting the very sea.

" _What the hell!?_ " I hear Cracker gawk over the razor gale, and I smirk as the winds die, and the waves crash back in as I land on the deck, " _What did you do!?_ " he screams as the three biscuit soldiers fall apart, cut into pieces, and Cracker's own suit disintegrates.

" _Fury of the Winds_ ," I hiss, and the deck explodes into splinters as the center of the ship slides apart, bisected in two.

 **AN: Well, I hope that you guys enjoyed that fight! I decided to try Haruta's POV, but in first person, so as to keep the writing style even throughout. This is the way I'm writing all POV's from now on, cause it's easier. Anyways, as always, if you have ideas or criticism, review or PM me. Until next time!**


	23. Chapter 23: A New Hell

Chapter 23

 **AN: Hey, if you're re-reading, you've probably already guessed that there are some pretty significant differences! Anyways, there isn't plot differences, just certain points. That aside, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 23

-( **Haruta** )-

" _You brat! What have you done!?_ " Cracker screams as the two halves of the ship drift apart, slowly sinking into the bay, " _You'll kill us all!_ "

"No, only you," I smirk, a feeling of unstoppable elation rushing through my veins, "I can _Moonwalk_ to survive. You're going to sink beneath the waves when the wreck sucks you in."

" _Rrgh,_ " the Sweet Commander growls, pure hatred in his eyes as the deck tilts down, and he slides further, "Mark my words, Whitebeard. Mother will kill you when she attacks your helpless crew."

"I'd like to see her try," I sneer, confidence overwhelming, "See ya," I wave behind me as I moonwalk away, heading back to the shore, which was worriedly flooded, "Dexter?" I ask, kinda concerned for my fellow Lieutenant, "Where are you?"

" _I'm over here!_ " I hear him yell from the treeline, "I'd be dead if I hadn't woken up. That crazy move of yours nearly washed me away!"

" _Pfehe_ , 'Wash'-ed you away," I chuckle, "I get it."

"That wasn't a pun," the bubble-man frowns, "And where is Kelly? He was on that ship, you know."

My gut dropped. "What," I say, shocked.

"Didn't you notice him before!?" Dex's eyes widen, and I grit my teeth, silently berating myself, "I threw him in that direction!"

" _I thought you were just getting him out of here!_ " I panic, my confidence cracking as I quickly wheel, planting my feet and blasting back off toward the wreck. _Fuckfuckfuckfuck_ , my eyes dart around the sinking ship, searching for my friend and crewmate, " _Kelly!?_ " I yell, fear rising up through my throat, _He's not going to hear you if he's still unconscious from the old man's Haki, idiot!_ I tell myself, and as I go to land on what little of the deck I could see, I catch sight of a familiar purple hairdo laying on an equally familiar black and red boat, with five others stuffed in. _Those-_ _No, Haruta! You have to focus on Kelly. Deal with them later,_ I jump from the air onto the sinking deck, praying to whatever god might be above that my friend wasn't dead. I close my eyes, trying to feel out his strange observation aura thing, but I feel nothing below me.

"Hey, Whitebeard!" I hear Cracker yell from the boat - the _Nicholas_ something, right? "If you're looking for your friend, he's right here!" I snap my head to the Sweet Commander, _Shave_ - _ing_ and _Moonwalk_ ing over to him. Kelly was laying on top of the pile, sopping wet and unconscious. Or at least I _hope_ he's unconscious.

" _You get away from him you bastard, or I swear_ ," I growl, bringing _Ikari_ forward, and the blade hums.

"Take him."

"What?" I say for the second time that day, "You're just giving him up?" I furrow my brow in suspicion. He had to be playing some other game.

"Look, brat," Cracker sighs, his massive saber and shoulder plate glinting in the sun, his grin forced, "I may enjoy a good fight, and if we were on land, I would probably tell you to shove it just to piss you off, but look where we are," he extends his arms out, gesturing to the waters and wreck around us, "You clearly have the advantage, seeing as how you can swim properly. Hell, you could just cut off the bow of this dinky little boat and screw me over. My biscuits would melt to nothing in the ocean, and I'd drown with these weaklings," he jabs a thumb at his limp crewmates and Kelly, "Then, you would just dive in and save your friend, and proceed to kill my crew back in the town. Hate to admit it, but I've lost in every sense possible. Good job," my enemy extends a hand, and I stare at it.

"What, do you think I'm an idiot?" I deadpan, not falling for the obvious trap, "You used your biscuits to get out here! They obviously get weaker, but they don't melt super fast like Dexter's bubbles."

" _Ugh_ ," Cracker sighs, his grin becoming sinister, "You should've just shook my hand, _brat_ ," the massive man stands, pulling _Pretzel_ out of its sheath once more, "It would've made this so much _easier_."

My eyes widen as shadows tower over me, standing on a deck nearby, and I push off of the air and into the saltwater as five massive swords crash into where I was hopping before. I quickly close my eyes, so they don't get burned, and search with my Haki. I could see only six Haki auras through the water, however, and I quickly realize that I can't feel what isn't alive. _Those biscuit things were created with a Devil Fruit!_ I grit my teeth, quickly running out of air, and pump my legs away from the wrecked ship, which I was slowly being dragged towards by suction, _Fuck, this can't get much worse_ , I thrash in the water, slowly pulling myself out of harm's way, and my head finally breaks the surface. " _Aaaah!_ " I gasp, clutching my sword in one hand and attempting to stay afloat with the other, " _Goddamn-_ ah, screw it," I hold _Ikari_ out of the water and reverse my grip, so the blade was pointed down, and the extra weight above water pushed me down below the waves, " _Ackpth!_ " I sputter as I open my mouth, "Gu- * _gargle_ * - _Gust!_ " I pull the blade down, sending a blast of wind into the sea around me, the attack not strong enough to cut my chest, but enough to tear away the top few layers of skin, " _Ungh!_ " I grunt in pain as the water around my feet disappears, and I _Moonwalk_ up above the waves, " _Jesus_ ," I pant, searching around for my foe, but I see no sight of him or Kelly.

I spot what remains of the wreck as it slowly sinks beneath the waves, more of Cracker's 'creations' sitting on the splintered remains of the ship, shields and swords in hand. Er, _hands_.

" _Groar!_ " I hear one of the creatures growl, and I quickly hop up as one of its massive blades flies past me.

 _Welp, I'm definitely not going that way_ , I frown, deciding to make my way around the wreck at a safe distance so I don't get overwhelmed, _I need to get back to the shore_. _I wonder where Cracker is… he has Kelly, damn it!_ I quickly berate myself for rushing in without trying to reach out with my Haki first. Thatch would probably give me crap for it, because he had always told me to strategize before going in. But, considering he's Thatch, it's more of a 'do what I say, not as I do' kind of lesson. Reaching out with my Haki, I can feel the six auras on the small boat quickly making their way to the shore with quick, jerky movements, probably doing that explodey trick with the sword again. Fuck that Cracker guy. "I'm coming for you, Kelly!" I yell, leaping off the sky, "And I'll kill that fuck if it's the last thing I do!"

" _Bleached Wall!_ " I hear across the waves, and a massive slate of compressed bubbles expands out in front of me, blocking off the shore, and I see bits of it dissolve in the waves only to be re-made seconds later.

 _Wash! Perfect,_ I grin, gripping _Ikari_ , and I prepare to unleash a slash at the small red and black boat, which I could see still blasting towards the bubble wall, _Shave!_ I think as I pump my legs ten, no, _twenty_ times per second, closing the distance in a fraction of a second, and I stop as Cracker turns, eyes widened in surprise, no doubt having felt me close in. I could've hidden my Haki, yes, but what's the fun in that, right? " _Current!_ " I yell, spinning and bringing _Ikari_ around, starting a slashing motion at my opposite shoulder and ending at my diagonal hip, a simple wind blade going forth. Not my most enjoyable move, but at least it doesn't make fifty blades like _Whirlwind_. I needed precision.

 _Crash!_ The wind blade strikes a shield of Biscuit, just what I expected to happen, and the block is thrown at me, which I easily twist around. "Screw off, Whitebeard! Did you forget that I have your friend or something?"

I smirk. "No, I didn't forget. But I _do_ know that I only have to capsize the boat in order to beat you, and I can fish the idiot out of the water afterwards," after I say this, I hear him curse under his breath, and an elated feeling of victory fills my heart, confidence returning.

"Well, look who got smart," Cracker hisses from behind his biscuit shield, "Well, too bad you won't get that chance."

"Like hell I won't!" I yell, bringing my saber up once more, " _Current!_ " I yell, aiming for the water next to the ship, and the blade of wind strikes the sea, sending a wave up and flipping the boat. However, Cracker had jumped away, stabbing _Pretzel_ into the white wall behind him, creating and slamming biscuits into the foam, a makeshift staircase. _Fuck,_ I frown, and I'm torn between going after the rising Sweet Commander and diving in after Kelly, who I had just dumped in the drink with the other four guys, _Well, here goes,_ I take a deep breath as I jump, spearing the water below. I suppress a squeal of pain as the salt clings to my bare and raw chest, burning me, and I reach out with my Haki, _Kelly, where are you?_ I ask rhetorically, and I feel him and the four Mom pirates slowly sinking. I furiously pump my legs, gliding down to Kelly's unique Haki and wrapping my arm around his waist, quickly dragging the limp body up to the surface, _Jeez,_ I think as I break the surface, _He's deceptively light for his height. What is he, around one-sixty or something?_ I glance around, searching for the _Nicholas_ , and I spot it, dragging the ginger-blonde over to it and throwing him over the top. Unfortunately, as I quickly realized, I couldn't get out of the water without using _Gust_ again. Mentally bracing myself, I once more bring up my blade and stab the water, sending the spear of air down below me, friction cutting a path down my chest, and blood spurts from the wound, dripping into the bay as I _Moonwalk_ up, sheathing my blade and grabbing Kelly's boat with him on top.

 _Swish_.

I freeze as I stop, glancing down below me as a long dark shadow passes beneath in the bay, it's spine breaking the surface, my blood dripping by it. I feel a massive presence run into the four Mom Pirates, enveloping them, then turning its intent to me. _That's a Sea King,_ I gawk, _Why is it here? They avoid islands. Unless…_ I glance at my bloody chest, the salt burning through my adrenaline, then the water below, which had a slowly growing stain, "Oh, shit," I deadpan, "Oh, _shit!_ " quickly hopping up, I use my momentum to fling Kelly and the boat up to the top of the wall, spinning back and tearing _Ikari_ from its sheath, holding it out in the one handed dueling stance Thatch taught me. Right leg and side forward, hopping up and down off the air, not the one I usually use, but it was the one that kept me the most calm in my 'neutral game'.

" _Groooar!_ " the beast bursts out of the water, quickly closing the distance between us, and I quickly switch which side faced forward, rearing back with my sword hand, feeling the blade vibrate in the wind.

 _Rrrgh_ , I stare the beast in the eyes, focusing, _Now!_ I think as I plant both feet on the sky, leaping as high as possible, and as I get ready I view my victim. It was long, with spindly eyebrows that extended off it's body, trailing behind it, with yellow eyes and razor sharp, out-facing teeth, which were bared as if to devour me, it's dark blue skin and light blue belly glinting in the now-sinking sun. " _Gust!_ " I roar as I stab, sending the spike of wind down, simultaneously shuddering as my chest aches. The clear spear is forced down the massive serpent's throat, and a moment later, its tail explodes, gore and cartilage flying into the sea. I push off to the top of the bubble wall, alighting on top gracefully as the sea explodes, the beast's massive body sending up sprays of salt and blood. _Fuck, I'm awesome,_ I grin.

" _Aaaaaaah!_ " then I hear Kelly scream.

-( **Kelly** )-

" _Ugh_ ," I groan as my eyes flutter open, the wind in my hair, "What happened?" I feel the rough rivets of wood beneath me, splinters digging into my chest and wet… bandages… _Wait, didn't I change those?_ I wonder as I take in my surroundings, the light blinding me, and I throw up a hand to block it out, _Jeez, what is this, the sun?_ I rub my eyes of sleep, squinting through my temporary blindness, but only see blue and white. I scan around, and see a stretch of blue below me, and looking down at what I was laying on, I see oddly familiar black and red, and I stare, confused, at the white floor _that's_ sitting on. _Am I in heaven?_ _Did I die?_ I sit up, stretching out my back, and stand on the cloud-like material… that was oddly springy… and popped as I walked on it… _Wait a minute-_

 _Sploosh!_ /" _Groooar!_ " my head rings as a massive blue form bursts from the water, splashing the sea on the platform, where parts dissolve around me.

"T- t-" I gape, my eyes wide as I catch sight of a titanic serpent rocketing from the water. _That's a Sea King!_ I quickly realize, body paralyzed by fear.

" _Gust!_ " I hear a voice high above me shout over the blowing wind, and a moment later, the Sea King's body contorts, exploding into bits of bone and flesh, with blood splattering the immaculately white ground, and also on my everywhere and my mouth, which I did not like one bit.

 _Nopenopenope_ , I gag as I feel the thick red liquid go up into my nose, and the metallic tanginess of iron and copper makes it feel like I'm drinking liquid coins, _Oh, god, it's in my mouth_ , I hack off the side of the platform, getting my first glance over the side, and my heart jumps into my throat. I was what looked like hundreds of feet in the air, any fall being definitely fatal, and I stagger back to the wooden structure, which, as I look at the silver name on the side, I recognize as the _Nicholas II_. _Oh, god,_ I realize, and I open my mouth in terror. " _AAAAAAAAAAAAH!_ " I screech, fearing for my life, and I stick myself to my boat like glue as the wind blows to my back. You see, I may not have a fear of heights properly if there is some kind of protection in place, but on an unprotected giant wall with barely enough room to move, that is truly terrifying.

"Kelly!" I hear a high tenor shout, "You're awake! That's great," I turn to see Haruta, hopping up and down in the middle of the air, and my mind shuts down for a moment.

 _Oh, wait,_ I realize as I boot back up, _Moonwalk_. "Um, Haruta?" I ask, trying my best to stay next to the boat, "Why are we up here?"

"Oh, I was just savingyourlifefromtheshipIwreckedbutyougottakenhostagebyCrackersoIhadtofighthimandhetriedtogetbacktotheshoreandIcapsizedthe _NicholasII_ andyoualmostdrowned," the Lieutenant explains, and I blink in confusion, having not heard a damn word of it.

"I'm sorry," I rub my forehead, " _What!?_ "

" _Ugh,_ did you become deaf or something in the five minutes you were K. ?" Haruta groans, "You almost died and I saved you from Cracker. Does _that_ help?"

"No, because I'm still _a hundred feet in the air!_ " I yell, irritated, "And where's Wash? And Cracker?"

"Where-" Haruta's eyes widen, " _Oh, crap!_ " he quickly closes his eyes, probably using Haki, and snaps them open a moment later, suddenly disappearing as he _Shaves_ away.

 _The hell is going on…_ I sigh as I look off into the distance, the sky beginning to burn as the sun slowly begins to set behind the waves, the orange burn reflecting brilliantly off of the blue mirror, _At least I have all my gear… I'll have to clean them of salt water after this,_ I grimace as my chest burns, the salt beginning to soak through my bandages, _I hope my rifle isn't ruined,_ I sling around the weapon, looking at it's splintered stock and soaked receiver. That would probably rust if I didn't get it clean soon. I bring up my hand, it having been resting on the wall, but it comes away covered in the white material, which appeared to be bubbles, and I grin, _Well, thank you, Wash_ , I wipe my hand on the barrel of the weapon, and any salt or water disappears, and I open the receiver, unloading the cartridges and stuffing an armful of the bubble stuff into the barrel and receiver, cleaning the weapon on the inside as the bubbles flow through. _Perfect…_ I nod, satisfied, but something on the horizon catches my eye, and I squint to see a group of ships sailing towards the island, slowly growing in size. I couldn't see much, but my heart jumps, _Thatch is here!_ I smile, standing. _That's gre-_

 _Pop!_

I freeze as I hear the faint sound, situated below me.

 _Pop! Pop!_

I risk a glance over the side, to where the ocean is slowly eating away at the structure, and I gulp, slowly standing back and reaching for the _Nicholas II_ so I can turn it over.

 _Poppoppop!_

I slowly turn the boat over, climbing inside and gripping the sides in calm terror, waiting for the fall. The boat soon began sinking, falling down, and with an almighty _boom!_ the wall disappears, sending me plummeting to the bay below. " _Aaaaaah!_ " I screech as the wind whips past my ears, the mist and spray from the sea soaking my hair. My heart jumps as I feel my rear leave the seat, and my knuckles turn white as I grip the sides, trying to keep myself in the ship. _Ohfuckohfuckohfuck!_ I grit my teeth, bracing for impact, and I slam into the waves with the force of what feels like ten tons. I felt my entire body shift, organs and limbs continuing on even as my bones halted. The pull on my feet and head was so great I nearly blacked out, keeling over onto the floor as the waves crashed back in, and the small boat is pushed to the shore, grinding to a halt on the sand. " _Ungh_ ," I groan as I peel myself off the floor, flopping over onto the sand, " _Dynamic… entry… uh…_ " I stick an arm up in the air in some protest, but it flops back moments later, limp and useless. _I should be dead from that…_ I think to myself. The boat is suddenly washed onto the beach, sand scraping against the hull.

"Kelly, get out of the way!" I hear Wash yell at me, and I sigh.

"Nah, I'm not moving," I lay spread-eagled, "I'm feeling a bit drained right now- _ah!_ " I noise my discomfort as a massive hand wraps itself around my waist, and I am hurled through the air as the sand next to me explodes.

"That wasn't a request!" Wash yells from some distance away, and I'm snapped back to reality as I tumble across the beach, pushing myself up from off the ground, covered in grit, and looking before me. I wish I hadn't.

Standing maybe fifty feet away was a horde of massive biscuit creations, reminders of those chapters I had read long ago, and the idea that post-timeskip Luffy had trouble with these things gripped my heart with an iron grasp of fear. " _Whirlwind!_ " I hear Haruta's voice exclaim, and a moment later, one of the horde explodes into dozens of shredded pieces as wind cuts through it. A moment later, the young swordsman lands on the ground, swiping his saber at another creation, bisecting it, "Dang, these things are a lot easier to kill here than when I was out at sea…" I hear my friend muse ad he jumps back, avoiding a swipe from two of the things, "Could he have been boosting them with weaker armament earlier…?" he seems absorbed in thought as three of the creations bear down on him, preparing to strike with their massive blades.

" _Haruta, duck!_ " Wash roars from my right side, and the Lieutenant obliges, dropping to the sand as a massive bubble fist slams into the suits, smashing them to crumbs, " _Bleached Fist!_ " the grey-haired man next to me roars in triumph.

"Nice one, Dex!" Haruta tells Wash as he slides next to me, sword up and ready and hair fluttering in quickly dying wind. A quick look at him showed me that he was now shirtless, with blood caking his chest, "We can probably keep at this for a while."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Wash shakes his head, "These things are too great in number. We won't be able to hold out another day waiting for Thatch to arrive."

"Actually, I think Thatch is coming," I put in my two cents, and we all quickly retreat as the creations try to close the distance, "I saw a group of boats out at sea before I fell down here."

"A fleet?" Wash asks, and I nod, but his expression becomes more worried as his jaw tightens, "He prefers single ships…"

" _Die, Whitebeards!_ " I hear the crazed voice of Cracker, which I recognize from what I saw of him in the anime, and a quick glance showed me that another suit of armor was charging us, a phalanx of others behind it, "I'll kill you all _personally!_ "

Haruta makes to move, but Wash steps forward, holding out his arm. "Haruta, I haven't seen much action, and you look worse for wear. Let me handle him."

" _Thank god,_ " I hear my fellow teen mutter, and he falls back spread-eagled in the sand, "But Wash, no offense, but you're kinda the second-weakest Lieutenant in the top five divisions, how do you plan on fighting?"

The grey-haired bubble-man grins back at the two of us, an interesting glint in his eye. "Haruta, most people on our crew measure power as speed," he starts, bubbles starting to flow off of his skin, "I know I'm not fast, that much is obvious, but I have something that you don't," the bubbles begin to take form, expanding past his limbs and wrapping around his torso, causing him to rise, "I have a Devil Fruit," he towers almost as tall as Cracker's suit now, "And Devil Fruits-" the massive suit begins to shrink in on itself, taking a proper form, "Are based-" massive hands pop into existence, a massive piece of bubble armor fully covering the Lieutenant, "In _raw strength_."

I stand there, in awe, but a scof from Haruta snaps me out of it. " _Laaaame_ ," the swordsman calls out, and I see the massive white hand on Wash's massive twenty foot suit clench itself in anger, rearing back to strike Cracker's suit, which had made it to him, preparing to swing his massive biscuit blade.

" _Shut up, Haruta!_ " Wash roars as he swings, meeting Cracker's attack between the two gargantuan figures, and they strike, sending a wave of pressure and sound outwards, causing the sand around them to stir.

" _Jesus!_ " I yell as my ears pop, and I stumble back, the unexpected force catching me off-guard. I clutch my head as the sudden change in pressure reverses, popping my ears once more.

"Well, well, well," I hear Cracker's voice echo from inside his suit as the two giants retreat from each other, "I've never had something like this happen before."

"And that is?" Wash cheekily responds, bringing up a massive arm - the right - and gesturing the Sweet Commander to 'come at him', which Cracker responds to by charging, one of his creations flanking his opponent.

"Someone able to stand up to me with an equally large creation of their own, of course!" Cracker cackles as he closes the distance, batting aside Wash's right arm with his shield and bashing his sword into Wash's armor's side, leaving a huge indent, "I mean, a fight between giants is always entertaining, is it not?"

Wash brings up his left arm, ramming it into Cracker's helmet, and the biscuit crumbles, large chunks falling off. "I guess it is!" Wash growls as Cracker stumbles back, the Lieutenant spinning with his right arm to clothesline the creation behind him, destroying it, "For me, at least."

" _Grrr_ ," Cracker clenches a fist as he pulls off his helmet, replacing it with another a moment later, "Consider yourself lucky that I'm getting a bit tired from fighting the brat over there for the entire morning."

"Excuses are worthless," Wash states, the wedge in his side filling in with more bubbles, and he charges. Each step sends sand flying, and he slams an elbow into Cracker's chest, "I prefer actions over words," the unwieldy design of Cracker's creations shines as the top-heavy suit topples backwards, Wash's more human-like craft placing a foot on it's head, ready to crush it, "I win."

"Not so fast!" Cracker is barely able to bring up his sword before Wash's foot slams down with a _crunch_ , crushing the Sweet Commander under his heel. A moment later, all the massive suits around them went limp, crashing to the ground.

"Well," Haruta comments from next to me as I stare at the fight, mouth agape, "It was that easy, huh?"

"Hey, Haruta!" I hear Wash, and the Lieutenant stomps over in his massive suit, allowing it to dissolve into nothing, "How's that for the weakest Lieutenant, huh?"

"I guess-" Haruta starts, but I immediately cut him off as I see the closest suit, the one that had flanked Wash before, shift, swinging around it's blade.

" _Washbehindyou!_ " I yell, but am too late, as the giant biscuit blade slams into the side of the Lieutenant's head, sending him sliding and tumbling along the sand, " _Wash!_ " I fret, sprinting over to the bubble-man's side.

" _What the-!_ " Haruta leaps up, quickly brandishing _Ikari_.

"You thought that I was actually in that suit, didn't you?" Cracker sneers, his voice reverberating from every creation I can see, "Wow, you Whitebeards really are dumb, you know that?"

"Wash, wake up," I urge the Lieutenant, "Wash?"

"I'm up, I'm up," Wash pushes himself off the ground, but stumbles as he tries to stand, clutching his head as blood seeps through his fingers, " _Ah_ , I have a splitting headache."

"Are you okay?" I gulp, afraid that he and Haruta may not win this one, and I quickly go to support the grey-and-red-haired man, his blood leaking onto my shoulder.

"My Haki didn't alert me in time…" Wash wheezes, slumping onto me, and I strain to hold him through my own ever-increasing chest pains. The painkillers were wearing off.

"We're getting pushed to the edge on this one," I grit my teeth as I drag the Lieutenant through the sand to where Haruta stood, facing down an army of biscuit suits, panting from his own exhaustion.

"Hey, Wash?" Haruta grits his teeth, the winds around him whipping up into a storm, so he has to shout, "Could you maybe do that giant robot thing again? I can hold them off, but I don't think that I could keep them off for long."

"Yeah, go all _Pacific Rim_ on their asses," I comment, and Wash gives me an odd look, "What?"

"I think I might be concussed, but what's a 'Pacific Rim'?" the injured Lieutenant - well, that could go for either Wash or Haruta, but bear with me - inquires, and my face burns as I realize I let that slip.

"Uh, it's something from my home, _khaha_ ," I chuckle awkwardly, "But can you manage that suit thing like Haruta said?"

"I- _ugh_ -don't think I can," Wash moans, squeezing his eyes shut, "Can't… concentrate. My head hurts- _agh_ -too much."

"Well, shit," Haruta frowns, bringing his saber above his head, "We might as well just die right now! _Updraft!_ " he slams the blade into the ground, and the sand is blown in a line, splitting the congregation of Cracker's creations down the middle, sending those it struck flying into the air and falling apart as they slam into the beach.

'Wash, please," I say, turning to the Lieutenant as he hangs off my shoulder, "I know that it might hurt, but you need to use your suit, or we _will_ die," I urge, and the man grits his teeth.

"It hurts too much," Wash groans, and I decide to ignore my empathy, choosing instead to attempt something that was dickish, but may work.

"You think _you_ know pain?" I suddenly drop Wash, and the Lieutenant grimaces, which causes my chest to ache, this time not out of physical irritation, "I got fucking _shot!_ "

"Kelly, what-?" Haruta turns, confused, but quickly realizes what I was doing, "Oh, yeah! I mean, Kelly was _writhing!_ And I've been taking hits all day from this guy! All you got was a little scratch!" the swordsman sends a blade of wind flying, tearing another suit to pieces, and I stare into Wash's eyes, seeing the unfocused glass gaze peering past, and I feel something weighing heavy on my waist. Placing my hand on it, I feel my smaller parrying dagger in it's saltwater soaked sheath, and I remember something Karen had once told me in one of our training sessions, when I had complained about a stitch in my side.

 _The best way to take pain away from one area in combat is to have a greater pain elsewhere._

After saying that she had proceeded to break my nose, and sure enough, I immediately focused on my nose. _Focus_ , I realize, _He needs to focus on something_. Yanking the dagger from its sheath, I wrap my arms around it, hands trembling. "Wash," I say, and the bubble-man looks at me lazily, "I'm going to stab you in the shoulder. I want you to focus on that pain, okay?" the grey-haired man nods, and I gulp. I had never actually harmed a crewmate in anything other than training, and that was generally with my fists, _What if I screw up? What if I stab his heart on accident? What if-?_

 _Shut up, you useless imbecile!_ I hear Karen's voice once more, _Shut up and do it!_ Months of instinct at those words kicked in, and I stabbed, a sickening _squelch_ as flesh was torn reaching my ears, the blade sinking to the hilt, and I gag in horror. But it had done the trick.

" _Aaah!_ " Wash roars, his eyes immediately focusing, and he leaps up, tearing out the dagger and standing, flexing his jaw and stepping forward as I sit in the sand, in a state of shock, "Thanks, Kelly," Wash seethes, his eyes bloodshot, "I needed that," bubbles froth from his arms, but these were various shades of pink, which I realized was truly blood, and he quickly grows ten feet taller, towering over Haruta and I in a suit of his own blood, " _Cracker!_ " the Lieutenant roars, in a frenzy, " _Fight me!_ "

"Then come get me! _Aaahaha!_ " Cracker laughs maniacally, the horde of creations closing in around Wash, but the Lieutenant was out of control.

" _Out of my way!_ " the bubble-man roars as a red fist grabs one of the biscuit monsters and hurls it into three more, obliterating them. Turning, he clotheslines two more who attempted to slash at him, and a moment later, three of them embed their blades in Wash's back, but he tears away from the part of the suit that was harmed, locking the three together, when he extends the arm, punching through all three with a blunt cylinder, " _Bleached Pillar!_ "

"Stop him!" Cracker's voice was beginning to get nervous, clearly unsure of his creations, and I glance at the fleet of ships, which I could make out now. At the front of the fleet was a massive ship, similar in size to Vista's _Beluga_ , but this one different. On the front, a large carving of what appeared to be an elephant stood, dominating the others, which had grey metal coverings themselves, and as I stared, my heart quickly felt another squeeze of terror as I saw the symbol painted on the sails.

"Haruta…" I gulp, and the swordsman looks at me, disturbed by my fearful stare, and he follows my gaze.

"No…" Haruta's face quickly matches my own, "No, no, no, _no, no, no_ ," he takes a step back, knowing full well what had happened, "Levi told them."

"That's what he was telling them," I fall back as I stare at the symbol, "He was telling them about Geas!" Six bones, crossed against each other with a massive skull embedded in the middle, with curved horns sticking out to either side, massive bones behind it all.

" _WASH!_ " Haruta screams, but he goes unheard, the sounds of battle too great, " _CRACKER! STOP FIGHTING!_ "

" _Cracker!_ " Wash roars, his voice megaphoned by his size, and he rears back a fist, " _Bleached Fist!_ " the massive red hand flies, extending by using the entirety of the bubble armor, and it passes through the bodies of dozens of biscuit suits as it seeks Cracker, who stood at the back in his own suit, and its strikes the man, obliterating the suit around him. As Wash falls, and the suits around him fall, he grits his teeth, striking the ground, " _Bleached Wave!_ " and a red ocean emanates from him, destroying what suits remained.

"I'm impressed, Whitebeard," Cracker grins as the sky darkens, his body black with Haki, and Wash smiles back, blood running down his temple and soaking his shirt, "You managed to obliterate my soldiers. Well done."

"Thanks," Wash grins, and he finally hears Haruta, who is pleading for him to stop and look, "Zip it, Haruta! I don't want another word about how weak I am," too angered to reason with, it seems.

Haruta clenches his fist as I stare further at the approaching ships. " _Dexter-!_ "

" _What did I just say Haruta!_ " Wash yells, and as the two begin to argue, I see a flash on one of the ships, and watch as a flaming arc flies through the darkened sky, and it slams into the sand next to Cracker, which shuts Wash and Haruta up.

"What the-?" Cracker blinks as he looks at the object, a black ball, and his eyes widen as he follows the burning residue to the ships approaching the bay, and his eyes widen, "I think we should call for a temporary truce."

"I am so sorry, Haruta," Wash gulps, collapsing to his knees as he sees what had come, "I was in the moment-"

"No, Wash," Haruta chuckles in disbelief, "I don't blame you. For now, though, I think we should just be glad we made it this far as Lieutenants."

 _I'm going to die, aren't I?_ I feel a warm stream going down my leg as I see the hull of the ship of Jack the Drought explode, arcs of cannonballs flying towards the beach.

The Beasts Pirates had arrived.

 **AN: Ah, Kaido, you dishonorable bastard you. As usual, if you have ideas or criticism, PM me or leave a review! See you all next chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

 **AN: So, I said a few chapters ago that I would lay off of the changing POV stuff, but as you saw, I decided to switch to Haruta because Kelly couldn't do much. I'll try to avoid instances like this, but if there's an important fight that's going on without him and he's in a neutral position, then I'll switch. My blabbering aside, enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 24

I shake as the steel cannon fire hurtles towards the four of us on the beach, fear gripping my heart. _I'm going to die, aren't I?_ I shiver, a primal instinct tearing at my being, my life flashing before my eyes. I see mom, Nate, my sister, my dad, dog, cousins. The phantoms of everyone I had ever known, even those of my crewmates standing next to me, flashed before my eyes, and moments before the cannons obliterated the beach, a shadow passed over me.

" _Biscuit Shield!_ " Cracker, equally as shocked as us, threw out an arm, a massive slab of bread embedding itself in the sand before me, and I see the thing shake and crack as the sand beside and behind us bursts, the shells sending shrapnel every which way.

" _Ah!_ " I cry out as a burning hot shard of iron strikes me in my left leg, and I fall to my knee, more shards peppering my bare back. _Aaaaaaaaah!_ my mind was melted, unable to form a cohesive thought as the burning metal seared my flesh.

" _Gale!_ " I hear Haruta through the fog of pain, and a powerful wind blows forth from his blade, blowing away the shards in my back.

" _Uhn…_ " I gasp as my freshly burnt flesh is exposed to the air, and I suppress a scream.

 _Boom!_ Another shell bursts.

" _Iron Body,_ " I hear Haruta mutter as he stands behind me, and I hear clattering as the shards of metal bounce off of him, "Kelly, are you okay?" I hear him ask, " _Kelly!_ " he cries as I slump to the ground, the pain unbearable, "Wash, help!" but his fellow Lieutenant does not respond, "Wash?"

"He's unconscious," Cracker replies instead, "Those two are bad off, Whitebeard. You need to take them back."

"Why are you even helping us?" I hear Haruta question, and Cracker sighs.

"I know what Jack does to villages like this," the Sweet Commander growls, ire coating his tongue, "And my men are unconscious currently. If I were to let him pass, they would be massacred."

"...have you met this 'Jack' before?" Haruta asks.

"...as far as I'm concerned, brat, the Beasts Pirates are the larger threat. Stop asking questions."

I hear Haruta audibly huff, not gaining an actual answer, and he picks me up, hefting me onto his shoulder. "How will you fight that armada though?" my friend asks, but Cracker just chuckles crazily, and I hear the sound of a massive form hitting the sand. Then another. And another. Soon, I could tell that there was a considerable amount of the Mom Pirates' creations standing on the beach.

"I have my ways," he responds, and Haruta goes over to Wash, attempting to lift him, but the combined weight of two wounded pirates proves to be too much.

"Uh, would you mind giving me some help, maybe?" Haruta asks, "I can't lift him."

"Fine. Take this," I feel the earth shake as one of the massive monsters stomps over, lifting Wash and I into its hands, and propping Haruta onto its shoulder, "You should be able to influence it with your Haki. Just place your hand on its head and think where you want to go to."

"All right," Haruta responds, "Good luck, Cracker," the giant biscuit soldier begins to stomp away, but it stops.

"Whitebeard brat," Cracker calls out, his soldiers forming up in front of him, shields ready, "What's your name?"

"Lieutenant 'Whirlwind' Haruta of the Fourth Division," the swordsman responds, "Whitebeard Pirates. Yours?"

"Sweet Commander Charlotte 'Thousand Arms' Cracker," the biscuit-man nods, "Mom Pirates."

"Good luck, Commander Cracker," Haruta looks him in the eye, and Cracker stares back.

"Likewise, Lieutenant Haruta," Cracker nods, and the biscuit soldier lumbers off into the trees.

 _Where are we going?_ I wonder, the pain in my back slowly dying, but not slow enough, _Back to the cave? But I blocked the entrance…_ " _H-Haruta_ ," I choke, " _Entrance… I blocked it_."

"I know, Kelly," the generally cocky and overbearing Lieutenant mutters softly, calmly breathing in and out, "I have a way."

"O-okay," I nod, resting my head on the gritty palm of the massive creation, silence enduring for some time, before I hear a soft, silent tune, and I realize that Haruta is singing as moon shines over us.

" _In the quiet, misty morning_ ," he starts, the lofty sound carrying over the treetops, " _When the moon has gone to bed-_

 _When the sparrows stop their singing-_

 _And the sky is clear and red-_ "

I recognize the tune, and decide to join him, harmonizing any way I could. " _When the summer's ceased its gleaming-_ " my friend is taken back initially, faltering, but rejoins with a smile, " _When the corn is past its prime-_

 _When adventure's lost its meaning-_

 _I'll be homeward bound in time-_ "

The both of us smile, caught up in the beauty of the song and harmony. " _Bind me not to the pasture-_

 _Chain me not to the plow-_

 _Set me free to find my calling-_

 _And I'll return to you somehow._ "

Images of home flash through my mind. My bed, my family, the smell of bacon when you wake up on a Saturday. My friends, my dad, mom… " _When you find it's me you're missing-_

 _If you're hoping I'll return-_

 _To your thoughts I'll soon be listening-_

 _In the road, I'll stop and turn-_ "

I think of what had happened in the day. Fighting those ninja guys, then being _shot_ , then… _That's_ _funny_ , I think, _I can't remember what happened after that_. " _Then the wind will set me racing-_

 _As my journey nears its end-_

 _And the path I'll be retracing-_

 _When I'm homeward bound again."_

I look up at the stars, bright and brilliant, and wish that this was just a wonderful dream that I had yet to wake up from. That Grandpa wasn't dead, that I wasn't bleeding and broken. That I was free from this hell that looked like heaven, and as I wish, a tear runs down my cheek. " _Bind me not to the pasture-_

 _Chain me not to the plow-_

 _Set me free to find my calling-_

 _And I'll return to you somehow._ "

" _In the quiet misty morning~_

 _When the moon has gone to bed~_

 _When the sparrows stop their singing…_ "

My eyes droop, my mental and physical exhaustion from the constant wear and tear on my body ever since last night finally weighing heavy, my wounds and weakening limbs dragging me into sleep, and as I sigh the last line, I feel the warmth of a blanket thrown over me, a kiss on my forehead, the smell of home putting me to sleep as the last rings of harmony echo in the stars. " _I'll be home… ward bound… again…_ "

-()-

"Kelly," I open my eyes, lids heavy, and the face of Haruta appears, "Kelly, there's too much mud, so Cracker's bread soldier can't make it up the hill. We need to get up on foot."

"Okay," I comply, trying to push myself up, but the pain in my leg explodes, blood caking my calf.

"Oh, that looks bad," Haruta grimaces, his own chest wound having clotted, and a massive sheet of dried blood covered him, "I can help you," he wraps an arm under mine, pulling me to my good foot, and I prop myself up against him. The two of us struggle up the mud, nearly slipping up and falling, but we manage to push through, making it to the top. The swordsman sits me amongst the rubble and unconscious bodies next to Wash, and I glance at my leg. It was bad. Shredded skin and burnt flesh surrounded a jagged spike of iron embedded in my calf, and I grimace, the pain burning.

"Haruta, how are you opening the cave?" I ask, looking at the large pile of boulders blocking the entrance, "You mentioned you had a plan earlier."

"Yeah, I'm getting to that," the Lieutenant waves me off, " _Hey, Leon, I know you're on the other side of this, you fuck! Let us in!_ "

" _Haruta?_ " Leon's voice wafts through cracks in the pile, " _Is that you?_ "

"Who else?" Haruta scoffs, "Now let me in! Kelly's hurt and Wash is almost dead or something!"

" _How do we know that it's you and not some guy with a snail that has a Devil Fruit that allows it to mimic human voices or something like that?_ " Leon rebutts, and Haruta raises an arm as if to protest, but lowers it. I nearly choke as I double-take.

"Shit, that's actually a good point," Haruta mutters, "Tell you what, Leon. Go get Atlas and I'll let him see my Haki aura, since you aren't at tht level yet. How about that?"

" _Well, considering how I'm the only one that can actually break out of this thing, I'd think that I'm already here,_ " the voice of Atlas booms, and Haruta gulps, all his bravado gone, " _So let me see if you're who you claim to be_ ," Haruta complies, and after a moment the rock pile shifts forward, and the swordsman leaps out of the way in a panic as it explodes, the glow of torches lighting up the night.

" _Jesus!_ " Haruta screeches, "You're lucky I saw that coming!"

"Oh, no," Atlas rolls his eyes as he towers over the swordsman, having stepped out of the brilliantly lit up entrance, "The brat's still alive? Pity," Haruta grits his teeth in irritation, "So, where's the two idiots that got themselves hurt?"

"Over there," Haruta replies, gesturing over to us, "Wash is in bad shape, and Kelly isn't all sunshine and rainbows either," he turns around, starting back down the hill, but Atlas stops him.

"Where are you going?" the titan asks, and the short Lieutenant shakes his head.

"Kaido sent this 'Jack the Draught' guy to catch us by surprise," he replies darkly, glaring towards the beach, "Cracker decided to help us and hold him off for the sake of his men, but he's out there, alone."

" _Hmmm_ ," Atlas frowns, "This is terrible for us. First, we get torn apart by these idiots," he points to one of the bodies of the Mom pirates, "Then, one of Kaido's dogs arrives when both sides are weak. It's either a huge coincidance, or someone tipped them off. And considering how deep in Whitebeard territory this island is, if I was a betting man, it'd be the latter," Haruta and I exchange nervous glances, knowing full well who it was, "Brat, you go on ahead," the former Commander grunts, "I'll gather as many able bodies as I can and follow."

"You got it," Haruta nods, disappearing as he _Shaves_ into the moonlit night.

"Hmm," Atlas locks his jaw, walking over to me, "So, brat. What happened?"

"Uh," I gulp, unsure as to what I should say, "Well, I got hit by some shrapnel in my everywhere," I settle on that, "Before that, I got shot in the chest, attacked by a Sweet Commander, and knocked out by what I can only assume is Conqueror's Haki. Overall, it was an experience."

"Heh," the titan chuckles, "Well, your rife there ain't looking good," he points to my Winchester, "You should get that fixed sometime soon."

"Don't I know it?" I sigh, "Anyways, could you help me up?"

"* _sigh_ * Fine," the bald man begrudgingly picks me up with one arm, Wash with the other, and carries us inside.

"Christ, what happened!?" I hear Leon yell, and I glance up to see him standing there, hands gripping his hair in stress, "You look like you got hit by the Puffing Tom!"

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't be too far off," I groan, my entire body aching with each step Atlas takes, "Kinda got hit by a lot of shrapnel."

"There is blood _everywhere!_ " Leon screeches, panicking, "How are you two alive!?"

"Leon, calm down," his wife walks out of a carved-out room, Jason standing beside her, holding her hand, "That-" she stops as she sees me, and she quickly covers her child's eyes with her other hand, "Oh, my."

I look at my hands and arms, not seeing any blood. "What? I don't really feel anything right now," I ask, and Leon smiles queasily.

"Uh, nevermind, then," he quickly ushers us along, past dozens of onlookers, and into the doctor's ward.

"Uh, doctor Illese?" the rookie Lieutenant says, "We have two more for you."

"Oh? You fools got yourselves-" she stops as she catches sight of Wash and I, "I was going to say something witty, but get them on the operating tables _now_ ," she orders, and Atlas places the two of us on stone slabs. I didn't see much, but my head starts to feel light as I catch a glimpse of Atlas' arm, and it was covered in blood.

 _My_ blood.

"Leon?" Doctor Illese orders, "I need you to go grab three bottles of whiskey, a roll of bandages, a scalpel, and as much warm water as you can."

"Got it," the former Sergeant nods, quickly rushing to a supply cabinet in the back, "Um, if you don't mind me asking, why whiskey? Isn't it kind of unethical to drink while operating?"

"What, do you think I'm the old witch of Drum Island or something?" the doctor scowls as she inspects Wash's head, "I'm out of antiseptic. The alcohol will sterilize the wound."

"Oh," Leon turns a furious shade of crimson, "I knew that."

"No you didn't," the doctor opens one of the bubble-man's eyes, shining a light into them, and I shift uncomfortably as the stone digs into my slick back, "Yep, just as I thought. He has a concussion and a fractured skull. Has he had one before?"

"Actually, yeah, a few months ago," Leon says as he returns, the items she asked for bundled in his arms, "Why?"

"Trauma could have re-split it if he's still recovering, and considering how the pores all over his body are expanded, his Devil Fruit abilities were affected as well," she turns to me, "You, idiot, what happened when he used his abilities?"

"Well, uh," I blink, taken aback, "The bubbles turned red."

"Blood," the doc mutters, "That would explain the expanded pores. If it was a thicker liquid than that, his skin would probably be split everywhere. He should be fine as long as he stays still and doesn't use his powers, but god, I hate Devil Fruits," she makes her way over to me after strapping Wash down to avoid movement, "So, what happened to you, Mr. 'I can still fight even though I have a three-inch hole in my chest so I just pump myself full of painkillers and ignore a very serious problem'?"

"Well, I got hit by shrapnel from a cannonball," I say, and the doctor rolls her eyes.

"Did you take the metal out?" the doctor asks, and I shake my head.

"No, but Haruta blew them out with his wind," I say, "They got torn out, though…" I cower as the doctor's eyes shiver in fury.

" _What?_ " she shakes, "That idiot! No wonder you're losing so much blood! What's your blood type?"

"Uh," I chuckle, "Something-negative?"

"Leon, grab the IV and an O negative blood bag," Illese huffs, "They should be labelled."

"On it," the orange-haired man salutes, rushing over to the cabinet once more.

"Alright," the doctor tells me, pulling something from the pile of supplies Leon brought over, "Grit your teeth, kid."

"Why-?" I start to ask, but I stop as a semi-warm liquid washes over my back, and the entire area explodes in the worst pain of my life, " _Aaaaau-mmmph!_ " I start to scream, but grit my teeth and seethe, the open wounds screaming for me.

"Alright, this will sting," the doctor pulls out a pair of tweezers, closing the cap on the whiskey bottle, and she places the tweezer into my open flesh, yanking out a sliver of iron with a spike of pain.

" _Ah…_ " I groan, eyes tearing up, "This is… the _worst pain_ …"

"No, this is," the doctor brings up the bottle once more and pours a dribble of whiskey into my freshly cleared wound, and the wound explodes anew.

"..." I gape, vocals unable to express the amount of pain I was washed in, and I collapse into a puddle of whiskey and blood, unable to hold myself up any longer. The world was dulled into red and white, a swirling cycle of excruciation and relief as each wound was systematically cleared of metal and cleaned with whiskey.

"Illese, I have the IV," Leon tells the doctor, and she wraps up my back after washing it in warm water.

"Okay, connect it to this… I'll cle… nd…" I blink in confusion as my ears begin to ring, and the doctor's mouth moves with no sound.

 _Is this the part where I go unconscious?_ I ask myself, not feeling anything, but a pull in the back of my mind keeps me awake, and I just sit there, enveloped in silence, as the world goes on around me. As the soft vibrations of battle echoe in my mind, Leon picks me up and places me in a bed, Wash being set on a bed a couple feet over sometime later. I sit and wait for it to be over.

-()-

" _Ugh_ ," I hear suddenly as I sit upright in my bed, the soft booms of cannons off in the distance drumming my ears, "Where am I?" I glance to the side, where Wash is stirring.

"Hey there, Lieutenant," I say, the pain of my operation two hours ago having faded with another dose of Morphine, "How ya feeling?"

"My head hurts like hell…" the bubble-man groans, clutching his head, "Wait, Kelly? Why are you here?"

"We're back at the cave, Wash," I tell him, and he brushes a hand against his right eye, which was still closed.

"I can't open my eye, kiddo," Wash tells me, and I push up, grabbing a crutch that was leaning on the wall next to my cot, hobbling over.

"Let's see," I stand over him, bringing my right hand up and forcing open his eyelid, "Oh," I gulp. That was _not_ healthy.

"What? What is it?" the normally calm Lieutenant had some panic in his voice, "I can't feel it. What does it look like?"

"Uh, can you see out of it right now?" I say, keeping the eyelid open.

"No, why?"

"Because I think you might be blind," I say. The thing looked infected, with his normally grey eye bloodshot, the iris having red streaks encircling the pupil. The skin around it was a sickly yellow, pus leaking out, and I knew that it was bad.

" _Fuuuuuuck_ ," Wash groans, "I'm never hearing the end of this…"

"The end of what?" I ask, and the Lieutenant sighs.

"Karen is going to give me way too much crap because I got beat by a biscuit thing," he explains, and I stare at him.

 _You're kidding,_ I think to myself, _That's what he's worried about!?_

He notices my stare. "What?"

"* _sigh_ * I'm just glad you're alive," I smile, and he returns the gesture.

"Thanks, kiddo," he glances around with his good eye, "So, where's Haruta?"

"He's back at the beach, helping Cracker," I tell him, "Atlas left with a few people about an hour ago to help."

"Well, then we should go help too," Wash tries to get up, but he falls back, holding his head, "Ah, that just got worse."

"Well, Doctor Illese said that you can't really move or use your powers for a few days," I say, still shocked. Honestly, back home, we didn't heal within three days like here. We had to have at least a month before we could even walk, but Wash would be up in under seventy-two hours or something crazy like that. Hell, just from being here, I'd noticed that I began healing faster, a little more each day. Not as much as others, no, but I could probably be through with my chest within two weeks _at least_ , "I'd follow her orders."

"Yeah, yeah," Wash waves me off, "I might as well get some sleep then, if I'm not allowed to move."

"I'm going to go find the doc, then, if that's fine with you," I start to hobble out, but nearly fall over when someone bumps into my left side, knocking the crutch out of my clutch, " _Woah!_ " I hop up and down on my good leg, stretching my back wounds, and I plant my bruised and aching left arm into the wall, steadying myself, "Watch where you're going!" I bark, and two ocean-green eyes stare back in surprise.

"I am so sorry," Rhea responds, quickly dropping to a knee and picking up the crutch, "Here."

I purposefully avoid eye contact, focusing instead on her ear, knowing how I would act if I looked into them. "Thanks," I take the wooden tool, sticking it back underneath my arm, "And, uh, sorry for yelling at you."

"No, no," she fidgets, "It was my bad," I notice her look of panic, and immediately want to make it stop.

"What's wrong?" I ask, and she sighs.

"Have you seen my dad?" she replies, "I haven't seen him anywhere, and mom's getting worried."

"I…" I hesitate, remembering Atlas leaving for the beach, "I haven't seen him, sorry," I lie, trying to stop her from getting any ideas.

Her face immediately darkens, her eyes narrowing. " _Oh, no_. Don't you lie to me!"

"What-" I start, but she slaps me, the mark burning.

" _You hesitated!_ " she hisses, "You know something."

" _Uh,_ " I gulp in fear, knowing full well the abilities of a determined teenager, "I saw him… leave for the beach with a group of others. Didn't you know?"

"What?" her face suddenly drains of color, and she steps back, "But that's where that fight's happening…" she stands, silent, for some time, and I sit awkwardly.

"Uh, Rhea?" I reach out and touch her shoulder, "I'm sure he's fine-"

"I have to go," she wheels around to face the cave entrance, leading out to the darkened sky. It was about midnight, and it looked like the moon had been covered by clouds, but she began to walk towards it.

In a moment of panic, knowing her chances of survival, I lunge forward, grabbing the back of her leather cuirass. " _Wait!_ " I yell, "You can't go!"

" _Get off me!_ " Rhea howls, spinning and elbowing my face, dislodging me, "I'm saving my dad!"

"You will literally die!" I yell, trying to stop her from doing something this stupid, but she's already gone, " _Dammit!_ " I rage, slamming my fist into the stone with a _crunch_ , eyes tearing up as I nurse my now-pained hand. _Ow…_

"Kelly?" I hear Wash call from the room, "What just happened?"

"I fucked up, Wash," I reply, struggling up off the ground, and hopping to my crutch, "I fucked up big time," I make it to the wooden stick, and start to hobble out the door, each step stressing the stitches in my leg.

"Kelly? What are you doing out of bed?" the voice of Leon stops me, "Like, I get that you want to do your part, but you can't do much other than what you've done already."

"Rhea left," I say, pointing with my free arm out the entrance, "I tried to stop her, but-"

"I can take care of it, Kelly," Leon assures me, grabbing me by the waist and flinging me over his shoulder, "You just rest right now, " he carries me back through the door, past a bewildered Wash, and to the cot, placing me down on my back, which still stung like hell, "I know her better than you, and I'll be able to catch up. 'Kay?"

"* _sigh_ * Okay," I groan, allowing my exhaustion set in, and I watch as Leon leaves, trying to save another life.

-( **Vista: Unknown Island in the New World** )-

 _Well, this is quite the surprise_ , I think as I pant, _Ochitsuita_ and _Arashi_ in my hands, cuts and bruises covering my body, _I expected a struggle, but one of this magnitude was beyond my expectations!_ My foe, an Amazon twice my height with silver hair that covered one eye and tan skin, stood before me, her own blade held high. My body felt dry, the liquid being drained from my body with every nick and strike I sustained, likely due to her infamous Devil Fruit. Her Haki was no joke either, having been able to force through my own. Charlotte Smoothie was truly a fierce opponent, and with good reason as well. My and Marco's division had been tasked by Father to clear a path, and the only one of the Big Mom Pirates able to stand against me were the infamous Katakuri and the fierce amazon Smoothie, Katakuri having a spat with Marco just hundreds of feet away. Her swordsmanship was savage, but still comparable to Thatch and I's, and it felt like a nice refresher from my battle with the Beast months ago. "Well, my dear lady, you have posed quite the challenge," I grin, sheathing _Arashi_ and taking off my top hat, tossing my cherished article aside so as not to damage it, "But I'm afraid that you are misinformed if you believe you can defeat me."

"I appreciate your skill, 'Flower Sword' Vista, but I must repel you," Smoothie frowns, her own body covered in blood and lacerations, "You strike at us when we do nothing to deserve your ire, and try to kill our mother."

"Kill?" I state, confused, as battle between my and Marco's men and the Chess soldiers rages around us "You are mistaken! We merely strike back for a wrong _you_ have committed!"

"You lie!" she roars, bringing her gargantuan blade bearing down upon me, and I quickly bring my single blade up, meeting her head on, "We have done nothing!" we break off, taking a short respite from our never ending duel, "However, I must commend your skill with the blade. Your body weakens with every strike, yet your form does not falter," I swell with pride at the comment, twirling my moustache with one finger.

"I must congratulate you as well, my dear!" I grin back, "Your very touch is intoxicating, draining me of my very stamina! You remind me of the fair maidens I once pursued in my youth!" Smoothie blushes at the comment, and my grin widens, "However, we both claim that our crews have done nothing, yet the other claims that we have. Do you wish to have parlay to correct any misunderstandings?" I sheathe both of my weapons, not wishing to battle to the bone and instead settle it over a proper conversation. Reaching out cautiously with my Haki for any unwanted ambushes - just in case - I feel something far off, away from the island, and I narrow my eyes slightly.

The gargantuan lady hesitates, lowering her guard for just a moment, and my hopes rise for a peaceful solution, but she becomes aggressive once more, her large, puffy hat shifting with her movement. "I cannot. My mother has ordered me to prevent you from reaching her, and to protect our holdings. I will do this to my last breath."

" _Young fool,_ " I hiss under my breath, leaping back and drawing my blades once more, "If this is truly what you wish, then let me show you why my bounty is over nine hundred million!" I cross my blades in front of my body, preparing to charge, and my foe tenses, " _Rose Round-_ "

" _Coming through!_ " I am interrupted as a streak of blue and yellow crosses my path, tearing through the very air itself from another dimension, " _Sorry, Vista!_ " Marco, in his Phoenix form, calls from the air, " _This guy is really no joke!_ "

"I am the strongest of my siblings," a black-haired man clad in black leather and a large scarf climbs out of the massive tear from whence Marco had sprung, "But I am only doing what I can in holding you away from my crew, Marco the Phoenix."

 _Katakuri_ , I think as I try to feel his presence, that unknown one offshore shifting slightly, and I begin to sweat, _I've heard stories, but never thought he would last this long against our wild card_. "Hello there, young lad," I pipe up, my polite side forcing me to introduce myself, "My name is 'Flower Sword' Vista, bounty of nine hundred and thirty four million Beri. What is yours, if I might ask?" the young man glances at me, and I feel an icy chill run down my spine. Despite having at least ten years on the boy, I could easily see that if I were to fight him, I would likely lose.

"...Katakuri," the man nods, and I internally sigh. That situation had the potential to go downhill quickly, and not in my favor.

"Hey, Vista," my young brother lands next to me, shifting back into his hybrid form, the blue flames heating the air around him, "Mind trading places? This guy is right up your alley."

"Preferably not, my friend," I chuckle, my blood pumping with the pleasant thrill of battle, "I'm quite enjoying my conversation with Smoothie here," I gesture to Smoothie, "She has quite the outstanding ability."

"Well, it was worth a shot," Marco grimaces, and I notice a large gash on his arm.

"Is that a result of your battle?" I ask, and my fellow Commander nods.

"His Haki is effective enough to keep me wounded for a time," the 'pineapple head' - as I have heard many call him - grits his teeth, "I don't know why Pops even wanted to attack when we're down a few of our top fighters, but I'm not one to judge."

"Yes, well," I sigh, "It is difficult to prevent Father's anger once provoked, which they did when they attacked Geas."

"We did that for revenge, Whitebeard," Smoothie growls, her titanic foot stomping the ground, "For burning an entire island!"

I freeze in shock. "You mentioned that before, "I say, "What do you mean? We never did such a deplorable act."

"I-" Smoothie begins to say, but stops as a soft _Purupurupuru_ comes from within Katakuri's jacket.

"Hello," the young man answers, and I furrow my brow. We had never destroyed an island, nor would we want to. Something was wrong, "Cracker?" Katakuri's eyes widen in shock, " _What!?_ " he staggers back, "You made a truce with _who!?_ Why? When?" I strain my ears, trying to hear, and barely make out a name, but it is one that sends a second chill down my spine.

Jack.

I turn to the First Division Commander. "Marco-"

"I heard," he cuts me off, beads of sweat running down his face, "I think we may have been played. You," he points to Smoothie, "How did 'we' attack that island?"

"You burned it to the ground and killed all the civilians," the silver-haired amazon narrows her eyes, "We assumed it was you, Phoenix. All the flames we saw were blue."

"That isn't my style," Marco's half-lidded eyes close further, "If it _was_ me, then I would've let the townspeople escape at least before burning it down. This is more Kaido's thing," the moment he said that name, we all froze, all the pieces fitting together, and I remember what young Kelly had warned us about mere nights ago.

"Kaido is trying to destroy us all," I start to lose my composure, the cold reality of it all setting in, that strange presence flaring, and I knew who it was. The Emperor was trying to get us to kill each other, then finish off the scraps, and he was waiting for the right moment, even now.

"Unfortunately, it's working," Marco murmurs, "Pops and Linlin have been going at it for hours already," I glance to the west, at the other end of the island, shockwaves and earth tremors, bursts of Haki and fierce winds all exploding out.

 _Father…_ I frown, my head dripping with sweat, real fear beginning to creep into my heart as I felt the distant presence explode, enveloping us all, _This may be the beginning of the end for us_ , then, the world was obliterated as arcs of cannonballs pounded the earth around us.

-( **The New World** )-

"He's there," a dirty-blonde haired man with a long rifle - and large nose - peered off into the waves as he sat at the entrance of a cave, cleaning the barrel, "Should we go now?"

"Ah, let the old man fend for himself!" a rather large man wearing goggles and a striped green hat brashly yelled through a mouthful of meat as he tore a piece off of the bone, "We interfere with old Whitey's stuff enough as it is!"

"Who asked your opinion, Roo?" the rifleman scoffs, "It's the Captain's decision, and your skewed logic isn't needed."

"Oh, screw off, Yasopp!" Lucky Roo barks, "Maybe you should just go on home to your little brat! He cried enough when you left him! _Hahahaha!_ "

"Hey! Leave Usopp out of this!" Yasopp growls, about to lunge at the fat man, but a black-and-grey-haired pirate with a scar on the side of his head flings a haki-imbued cigarette between the two, embedding it in the stone floor.

"Both of you, shut it," Ben Beckmann growls, and the two oblige, peering past him to the back of the cave, where two men sat.

"Do you think we should?" one man, red-haired and missing an arm, three scratches over his left eye, implored the man across from him, a black-haired man with a massive black blade strapped to his back, a cross necklace laced around his collar.

"If we don't, the world could be torn apart," the second man frowns, his goatee shifting and infamous hawk-like eyes staring out to sea, "Power would be thrown out of balance, and we would all likely perish."

"Oh, come on, Mihawk," the red-haired man stands, "We all know something was going to happen eventually, right? If we stay out of it, the crew is safe, so is it really so bad it's happening?"

"Yes," the greatest swordsman in the world stares down his friend and rival, setting down a cup of sake he had in his hand, standing to meet him, "After all, once one Yonko is gone, who's to say the weakened others won't fall as well? If Marineford takes advantage of it, no one could stand against them. Then who could protect that protégée of yours you keep going on about?"

The Captain inhales sharply, not expecting it, and grumbles. "Twist my arm a bit more why don't ya?" he nurses his head, "And I have a killer hangover, too…" he snaps his attention to his first mate, "Ben, get me a raw egg, two shots of tabasco sauce, and a gun to shoot myself with, because we're going to go hunt some beasts," the Captain of the Red-Haired Pirates walked out into the sunshine, basking in the rays, and thought of that old island in the East Blue.

 _Luffy, I hope you're doing fine…_ he thinks to himself as he glances to the banner of his crew, and he grins, gripping his saber with his only arm. Because Read-Haired Shanks was taking matters into his own hands.

 **AN: BAM! Double whammy! We got a good look at all the events in the New World, and it appears that our favorite strongest crew is in a sticky situation. As always, if you have criticism or comments, PM me or leave a review! See you all next chapter!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

 **AN: Hey there, y'all! Now, Last chapter, I made a mistake. I failed to specify where exactly Vista's point of view was, and I'm telling you here and now that it takes place on a seperate island for anyone who may have been confused. I'm going to take a short break to recharge my mental batteries and work with school, but expect the next chapter within a month! That aside, here we go!**

Chapter 25

"Are you able to sense him at all?" I ask Wash, sitting on the end of his bed, "We need to know if he's doing okay!"

"Kelly, I can hardly move my body, what makes you think that I can concentrate and use Observation?" the grey-haired man replies sarcastically, "I mean, really, Leon can take care of himself."

"You know," I scowl, beginning to get irritated with his constant negativity, staring at the wall as if to melt it with heat vision, "You usually aren't an ass," I squeeze my hand into a fist, "You're certainly acting like one now."

"Well I'm sorry," Wash snorts in anger, "I've been dealing with a lot lately. You know, catching wind of Cracker, learning that my subordinate is a traitor, trying to keep a secret from everyone around me," I close my mouth, which had opened to retort, but as he goes on, I recognize defeat, "And last but not least, I get my head busted in and one eye blinded. So when a dumbass _brat_ like you whines for me to use something that I can't, and then weep like a fucking _child_ when I tell him I _can't_ ," he pushes himself up in a surge of anger, his bloodshot eye flashing dangerously, " _I tend to get irritated,_ " I scramble back in fear as his hands grip into fists, the sheets around him going taut as he grasps them in anger, and I tumble off of the bed, my leg surging with pain as I fall.

I stare at him, my heart pounding almost as bad as when Levi threatened me. "Wash… I-"

"Forget it," the Lieutenant sighs, bringing one arm up to his head as he lays back, the bandages around his head turning a bolder crimson, staining his pillow, "I've got enough on my plate right now."

I gulp, frightened to shatter the meek silence that had been formed, and the cool rock beneath my back chills me to the bone, my shirtless torso and wrappings soaked in sweat. My heart jumped, having seen the man that had shown me nothing but respect and understanding from day one turn nearly on a dime and lash out. Each of my breaths were heavy, carrying my primal instinct to run away through my veins, the shadows cast by the torchlight seeming to creep in, enveloping me as my lungs tighten, the image of Wash's eyes gnawing at my subconscious. _What are you doing, Ian?_ I ask myself, _Look at him, he's exhausted_ , I stare at Wash's gaunt face - he appeared as if he was drained from this angle, a haunting image - and remember back to the battle with Cracker, _You were the one who pushed him past what he could have. You did this to him_ , as the thought shot through my weakening mind, a chilling realization sent a shiver down my spine, _I did this to him_ , grief tears at my heart, nullifying any protests, _I did this_ , I lay on the ground, spread-eagle, my eyes misting over as tears streak down my cheeks, along my scar and into my hair.

"Kelly, stop crying," Wash's voice growls from the bed, and I grit my teeth, furious at my weakness, "It's giving me a headache."

"Okay," I wheeze, my throat tight, and I try my best to wipe away the saltwater.

"Look, if it means anything to you, I'm sorry for lashing out," Wash mutters, "I've just had a long day, you know?"

"I shouldn't be crying," I hiss through my clenched teeth, my bruised arms aching as I move them, "Karen told me it's a sign of weakness."

"Yeah," Wash huffs, "She's gotten a lot softer."

"You don't know her, then," I smile, grinning at the foolishness of the idea.

"You seem to forget that I was her First Mate back when she was a Captain," Wash counters, "I know her better than anyone. Back when I was on her crew, anyone who got sad got punched"

 _He has a point, I guess_ , I gulp, knowing he had me beat. "Okay, I admit defeat. She seemed a lot worse. But what was she like back then?"

"Well, she was an amazing fighter, still is," Wash speaks with an air of nostalgia, "Back before I got the Bubble-Bubble fruit, about six years ago, she was the strongest on the crew, obliterating all opposition in her path. She was amazing."

"I'm hearing a 'but' here," I say, wiping the last of the precipitation away from my eyes.

" _But_ ," he sighs, staring at the ceiling almost wistfully, "She found a Devil Fruit one day. She said she didn't want to rely on the strength of some 'bullcrap powers', so she gave it to me. I ate it, and from that day forth, things between us were never the same."

"You were stronger than her," I say, and he nods.

"I outshone her in every way," he grits his teeth, "Soon, when I started to be the one who took out entire crews alone, the guys started ignoring her and listening to me, only wanting to listen to the strongest. I insisted that I was still second fiddle, but they all refused to listen. Soon, I was practically the Captain, but not by choice."

"Well, why didn't you just refuse?" I ask, sitting up with a peeling sound as my bandages stuck to the floor, and I wince as they tighten around my chest.

"Not so simple," Wash retorts, ire lathering his voice, "On the ocean, you need someone that can organize and lead, ration out food, and plan raids on enemy ships. You need a Captain. And if the crew only listens to me, I have to step up," he sighs, the weight of what seemed to be years of hardship pressing down on him, "Karen hardly even contributed anymore. Then, one thing led to another, and we got sought out by the Whitebeards after Paradise for my unusually high bounty as a First Mate. It interested Thatch that a right hand man was higher on the Marine's list than a Captain."

"I know that you're a Lieutenant and she's a Sergeant. That probably made things worse, right?" I inquire, staggering up with my crutch, and I sit back down on the bed.

"Yeah," the Lieutenant stares at the doorway wistfully, his eyes hardening with anger, "It marked the end of our friendship," he grits his teeth, each breath seething, "I hate this position."

That caught me by surprise, and my eyebrows raise. "You hate it?"

"I hate this power," he clenches a fist, "I should've tossed the fruit aside, but I ate it, and look where we are now."

"But Wash," I hesitantly reach for him, pulling back as I remember his anger, "This isn't your fault. You couldn't have seen the consequences when you ate it."

"* _sigh_ * I know that much," the grey-haired man groans, "I guess that's the curse of hindsight."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," I nod, my own past failures weighing heavily on my shoulders, "Back home, I used to like this one girl," I sigh, remembering what I could, "I just wanted one date, _one_ night, just us two, but I knew deep down that she wasn't into me," I cringe as my heart pangs, the memories refreshing in my subconscious, "But, I wanted to hear it from her, per my personal preference about trust and respect and stuff. Unfortunately, I was going through tough times, and she didn't want to hurt me, so she waited for months," I stare at my hand, squeezing it as my palm becomes drenched in sweat, "Unfortunately, she waited so long that a friend told me when he wasn't supposed to. I got so angry because it felt like she thought I wasn't worth her time," Wash glances over, a softer look of understanding in his eyes, "I said some things that I shouldn't have, and bad became worse - I lost the trust of most of my friends," I groan, my heart feeling raw as I remember the lowest point in my life, "Everywhere I turned, I was berated, turned away, and ignored by many of those who I held in the highest regard. A few good friends stayed neutral, offering _some_ normality, but most treated me like a monster. It got so bad that I began to hate myself, question who I was and whether I was even a good person anymore. The feelings left over about the girl were still there, as if to rub in my shame, and I _hated_ it," I grit my teeth, each consonant clicking like the claws of a scorpion, "My only saving grace was my Grandpa."

"You've told us about him before," Wash comments, "He sounded like a good man."

"He was," I nod somberly, "He told me how life goes on even after tragedy, to get back up, grit my teeth, and get back on the horse. I thank him for that. His words have carried me far since I got here."

"Hm," Wash frowns, "Is that why you're so tenacious?"

"I guess?" I say, "I mean, I got shot in the chest and lived, right?"

"Yeah. Hey, did you see anything?" Wash asks out of the blue, "Like, the afterlife or something?"

"Can't say," I shake my head, coming up blank, "I can't really remember what happened around that time. Could be related to blood loss."

"I suppose," Wash closes his eyes, "But I get where you're coming from in that situation. It sounded like you were getting desperate."

" _Precisely_ ," I snap my fingers, "That's exactly what it was! I mainly wanted to be able to move on with my life without having any sort of unfinished business, but that dragged on too long, and ironically, it turned out that my friend didn't have her permission to tell me, so it all amounted to something that could've been stopped if I hadn't gotten angry at something so juvenile, _khahaha_ ," I chuckle bitterly, the bed underneath me creaking as I shift my weight, "Anyways, what about you? I'm curious about how close you were to Karen," I smirk slyly, changing the subject, "Well…?"

"We were… pretty close," Wash states, his eyes darting to the side, "I mean, it all crumbled in the end, but we both helped the other out."

"Did you… y'know…" I raise an eyebrow, grinning dumbly. I was having some legit fun right now.

"No Kelly, we did not," Wash's voice said no, but the crimson that suddenly splashed on his face said otherwise.

" _Sure_ ya didn't," I wink at him, and he purses his lips in annoyance.

"I'm too tired for this," Wash leans his head back on the pillow, closing his eye.

I sit there, the whole situation whizzing through my head, and an idea slowly blooms, the petals of thought drifting out from the nectar-y center that was my brain. "Say, Wash," I say, a small grin crossing my face, "What would you give to be friends with Karen again?" I ask, and his good eye re-opens, curious.

"Anything," the dustings of a smile tug at the corners of his mouth, "Why, are you going to try?"

I nod, determined to right this. "Yeah. You deserve to be happy," I tell him, "I'm going to do whatever I can."

" _Hm_ ," the Lieutenant hums, "Well, I'll tell you what. If you manage to change Karen's mind about me, then I'll _personally_ help you learn to use a Devil Fruit if you eat one," he holds out a hand, "Deal?"

I grin, confident I could do that, and take his hand. "Deal," suddenly, something quite random popped into my head, "Say, how many of the Six Powers do you know?"

"What, like _Iron Body_?" Wash raises an eyebrow, and I nod, "Well, I don't know any of them."

That surprised me. "But Karen knows at least two," I say, "How does she know and you don't?"

"Well, most higher level Government Agents and Marines use them," the bubble-man explains, something I knew at least, "Our old crew fought a few, and Karen figured their skills out pretty fast. Same goes for most others that don't have Devil Fruits on the Whitebeards," he shrugs, " _Iron Body_ and _Shave_ have given quite a few of us the edge in a fight, so it's beneficial for you to know them."

"So that's why she's teaching me those," I mutter, my intense training for those skills having a reason other than sadism, "Interesting… did she teach Thatch and Haruta them as well?"

"Are you kidding?" he laughs, "She wouldn't give those two a reason to be stronger than her if her life depended on it!"

"Then they know how…?" I ask, curiosity gnawing at my insides.

"Well, someone in our division just so happens to be a defector of the World Government," Wash explains, "He's taught almost everyone that wanted to those techniques as thanks for taking him in."

"Is it someone we know?" I ask, and Wash nods, "Is it that one Lieutenant that I haven't met yet?"

"What Lieutenant…?" Wash starts to ask, but he catches himself, "Oh, you must mean the one that's out searching the Blues for Gold Roger's rumored son," that statement piqued my interest, something familiar, but Wash goes on, "No on that one. It's Raver."

"Wait a minute…" I say, thoughts running through my mind, and somewhere in there, I make a connection, _So, he's a former Government Agent, and he has a Zoan Devil Fruit, and he knows the_ Six Powers _-_ "Is he from CP9?" I ask, my epiphany bubbling over. Wash, however, stared at me as if I was crazy.

" _Tsehehe_. Kid, CP9 is just a legend made by the World Government to scare people into not rebelling," the bubble-man laughs, "I don't even know how someone like you would've heard that name, anyways," he closes his eye, "Nah, Raver just learned them with some grit and hard work-"

 _Crack!_

I jump as the sound of gunpowder exploding rings through my ears. "The hell was that?" I ask, and Wash narrows his eye.

"Someone must've slipped through Haruta and the others," Wash grinds his teeth together, suddenly on edge, "Crafty bastards."

"Leon's out after Rhea…" I say, limping off the bed and to where my gear sat, next to my bed, "Who here do you know would be able to fight?"

"No one," the Lieutenant responds, an etching of fear quivering in his voice, "I can't do much other than lay here, so I suppose it's up to you."

I freeze as I'm looping my belt around my waist. "Oh, dear God," I hiss, quickly tossing on my bandoliers, "I have to go, then. Try and get as much attention as you can from everyone. I can see if I can hold whoever it is off, but I'll-" I gulp, hesitant to say it, "I'll probably be dead, next time you see me," I start to hobble out of the cramped room, but Wash's hand shoots out, catching my wrist.

"Now, hold on," he says, his eye piercing me, "That gunshot was probably Leon. You need to just be prepared if he gets taken out."

"Right," I breathe a sigh of relief, "I hope it doesn't come to that, then. I still think we should move everyone out of the cave, though. Just in case."

"Same here," Wash reciprocates my view, "You should get going, then."

"I'll be back soon," I say as I exit the room, delving deeper into the cave.

( **Leon** )

"This is your fault, Rhea!" I yell as I drag the daughter of a close friend behind me, lacerations on her body bleeding, firing one of my pistols back at a small group of torch-wielding hooligans that had broken through the beachhead, "I just want you to know that!" Rhea had been surrounded by the group when I got there, trying to hold them off, but self-training could only go so far. She was lucky Kelly told me she left.

"..." she didn't respond, only staring back at the beach with brick headed determination despite her injuries.

"Look," I growl, jumping high as another lead ball whizzes beneath me, my weak Haki still able to pick up the intent to kill, "If you're worried about your dad, he's fine."

"You don't know that," she mutters quietly, her voice hoarse, and I grit my teeth in annoyance. Even Jason couldn't get me as riled up as this fool, and Jason was my _son!_

" _Rrgh_ ," I growl, "Rhea, let me tell you something," I wince as another shot grazes my shoulder, "I'm currently dragging you through a shit ton of trees, with a small army of Beasts Pirates behind me! Life's a bit stressing right now, so forgive me for saying this, but," I fill my lungs with air, planting my feet and skidding to a stop, allowing Rhea to tumble past me, and I let go of her, drawing two of my pistols, focusing my will through the weapons similar to the _Tempest Kick_ , my own invention, " _Stop worrying about your dad! Tempest Shot!_ " I yell, pulling the triggers, and the weapons explode, two shells of wind barreling toward the horde.

" _Aaah!_ " I hear the pirates scream as the two shots barrel past my enemies, sending them flying, and I grin in satisfaction. My training to cover Raver's position was paying off.

 _But I'm not sure how long I could last against someone better,_ I dig the balls of my feet into the damp forest floor, turning to pick up Rhea- _Oh, sonuvabitch_ , I quickly look around, searching for her, but there was only a small puddle of blood in the spot I left her. " _Rhea!?_ " I yell, a well of panic rising up from my chest, " _Rhea, where are you!?_ " I close my eyes, concentrating so as to find where she is. Somewhere in the forest, I feel an intent in the back of my head, and I roll to the side, through the dirt, as a tree buries itself in the spot I was standing only moments before, the roots sticking up into the air, "Alright, who threw that?" I yell into the dark, and not a moment later, a smaller form than I expected emerges from the shadows like the angel of death. The man was huge, thick cords of muscle covering his body, purple crescent tattoos stitched into his left arm. He wore a pair of black goggles, a large fur coat draped over his shoulders, and on a large, black belt, there sat the symbol of his crew: the Beasts Pirates. Two large, black horns protruded from a head covered in wavy white-blonde hair, which looked freshly cared for, and a massive blade was strapped to his back.

"Whoops," he sneers, an insane grin on his surprisingly handsome face, "My bad," he takes another step, his black boots sinking ever-so-slightly into the damp dirt. I could see toned legs through black leather pants and I was getting a bit intimidated.

"Headliner Sheepshead!" the remaining grunts yell in joy, and I remember reading something about this guy in a newspaper. Apparently, he was a third-ranker on Kaido's crew, a Headliner. They were at the same level as Lieutenants, and he seemed like he could snap me in half. I might be in a lot better shape than I was, but this isn't my cup of tea.

"So," I say, sweat slowly soaking into my shirt, "Is that sword for show, or…?"

"What, this?" the man, Sheepshead, grins, pulling out the blade, which looked dull, "I enjoy using this to cut my enemies."

"That blade looks dull," I comment, voicing my thought, and his goggles shine menacingly.

"All the more painful for you," I can feel the bloodlust in his voice, "But lucky for you, I'm not good for it. I only ever use it on civvies I'm ordered to kill."

 _Civilians?_ I tense, thoughts of Violet and Jason flashing through my mind. "You're a monster. Killing civilians?"

"Monster is relative, Whitebeard," the blonde man grins, "I just do what Jack tells me to. And he told me to tear apart anyone in that cave up there," he points to the hill, "So if you'd let me pass-"

" _Stay away from there!_ " I scream, all fear gone as my blood pounds in my ears, and I bring about one of the pistols, rapidly unloading the entire thing.

" _Woah!_ " he yells as the lead balls pepper the forest around him, a few of the shots killing some of his underlings. Rapid firing was _not_ accurate by _any_ means, "Wow. You missed."

" _Rrgh,_ " I growl ferally, the instinct to protect my family overwhelming any fears I had, "I won't let you through."

"Oh, I hear these 'heroic speeches' all the time, bub," Sheepshead scoffs, slicking a hand back through his hair, "I'm thinking about making a list or something of the people I kill afterwards."

"Then how about we both shut up?" I narrow my eyes, the pounding of my heart in my ears.

" _Ghahaha!_ Oh, I like you," the blonde Headliner laughs, stamping a foot into the ground, his face contorting into a childish grin, "Too bad I have to kill you quickly. I would've enjoyed it a bit more time squeezing the life out of your body."

"Stick your money where your mouth is," I growl, my hand slowly drifting toward the golden revolver strapped to my leg, the only reminder I have of my failure to protect Violet the first time, "Or shut up."

"Well, I can't argue with that… _grk!_ " he suddenly hunches over, a pained expression stretching out his face, and the skin on his arms begins to distort, stretching and kneading until it split, revealing not blood, but a white material similar to ivory, which grew out of his hands and wrists until they disappeared completely. His hair stretched, with each inch and foot growing more curly until it resembled that of a sheep, and those same purple tattoos from his left arm etched themselves into his right. His body grew in size as well, his muscles swelling like Raver's when he went Hybrid.

"What…" I stagger back, my mind reeling in shock. I had never seen anything like this, even among Zoans. If he even _was_ a Zoan, "What the hell _are_ you?"

"I'm…" he pants, regaining his composure, the massive twisting… _things_ on his arms hanging down, "I'm a living weapon. A _prototype_ , if you will. One that will enjoy every second of this," he grins warmly, a deceiving gesture.

" _Rrgh_ ," I grit my teeth, steeling my nerves, and I dig my heels into the dirt. _I can't let him live_ , I quickly realize, and my hand snaps to the Celestial Dragon revolver, gripping the handle, " _Quickdraw!_ " I bark, yanking the golden gun out of it's holster and firing the custom-made shot, the pointed bullet racing toward the tseudo-Zoan's brain.

" _Ah!_ " he jerks his head to the side at the last moment, a look of legitimate surprise on his face, "Well well, it looks like you've got your own tricks, eh? _Gaha_ ," he snickers, a thin red line appearing on his cheek where my shot had grazed him, "The gun of a Celestial, eh? You have more balls than I thought you did."

 _Dammit,_ I frown, my trump card already laid down, _He'll expect it now_ , I rack my brain as the man slowly begins to walk toward me, bringing up his large spear-things, but I come up with nothing, _Damn. Good thing Karen taught me_ Shave _and_ Iron Body _, or I'd be screwed._

"I guess you're really committing to that 'no talking' idea, huh?" Sheepshead - oh, wait, I get it now, his head looks like a sheep, haha - raises an eyebrow, "I guess I'll make my move, then," he leaps forward, dashing at me with the speed of a demon, his weird spear-hands held out, and I hastily dive to the side, narrowly avoiding being impaled.

" _Stay back!_ " I yell, rolling up and pulling out a larger pistol strapped to my chest, this one having a bell shape near the end of the barrel, " _Scatter Shot!_ " I pull the trigger of the blunderbuss, and a spread of grapeshot flies out, peppering Sheepshead's side and causing blood to spew from his arm.

" _Ah!_ " the Headliner growls in irritation, little damage being done, "When I said talk, I didn't mean for you to _shoot me right after!_ " the man's jaw stretches to comically big proportions as his eyebrows become cross, " _What the hell!?_ "

I take a step back, half from surprise and half from fear. This man had tanked a whole shot from my blunderbuss and didn't even flinch! "What the hell _are_ you!?" I grit my teeth, re-holstering my empty weapon and yanking out two more pistols, these standard-issue, " _Rapid Fire!_ " I yell, half because naming is essential and half because I was getting irritated by this guy, and I pull the triggers as fast as I can, sending a cascade of lead to try and finish the job.

" _Stop that!_ " he whines like a child, shielding himself with his strange arms, and my shots bounce off, "You are seriously getting annoying," he growls, and I feel his eyes blazing behind his goggles, "I'm definitely enjoying carving you up more once I catch you."

 _Well, let's see if you can catch me first,_ I tighten my grip on the empty pistols, digging my feet into the ground, and charge forward, " _Shave!_ " I yell, and a moment later, I'm in front of him, rearing back my leg. The monsters' mouth widens in shock, opening to inhuman proportions, and I know his eyes are wide, " _Tempest Kick!_ " I yell, arcing my limb forward, and the point-blank blade of wind that strikes sends the Tseudo-Zoan flying, crashing into a tree and snapping it in two. I land on the ground, my leg vibrating from the force, and I lament not practicing the Six Powers as much as I had my ranged attacks.

" _Owowow!_ " I hear Sheepshead squeak from behind the splintered oak, "What the hell was that?"

"How…?" I start to ask, but then I remember Zoans and their bullshit durability, " _Right_. So, do you have a rotten Devil Fruit or something?"

"If you _must_ know," the Headliner says nonchalantly, rubbing his head as he re-emerges from the shadow of the night, "I have a SMILE," the man grins wide, and I raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yes," I deadpan, "Everyone can smile."

" _Not a 'smile', you idiot!_ " he yells, his bright white teeth practically gleaming in the moonlight, "A ' _SMILE_ '."

"Yeah, that's what I just said," I roll my eyes, "You make no sense."

" _It's an artificial Devil Fruit, you nitwit!_ " Sheepshead screeches, and my ears perk up, "They're created with SAD!"

"That seems counterintuitive," I remark, and I can tell I'm getting on his nerves.

" _Ugh,_ you Whitebeards are impossible to deal with!" the Headliner grinds his teeth, his temples bulging out in anger, "S-A-D is a chemical used to make S-M-I-L-Es."

"So, what?" I say purposefully, knowing an angry enemy is a easier one, "I thought we were talking about Devil Fruits, not laughing gas."

" _I will torture you and your family!_ " Sheepshead roars, charging once more, " _Sheep's Horn!_ "

" _Shave!_ ' I reply, speeding behind him and slamming my shoulder into his back, sending him stumbling to the ground with his own momentum, "So much for Devil Fruit user!" I taunt, trying to enrage him further, "You're just like a lamb to the slaughter!"

" _Enough!_ " Sheepshead screams, his voice cracking with strain, and I can see the veins on his forehead popping, "I have _had it_ with you! I was hoping to enjoy torment you, but I still have orders from Captain Jack to gut anyone in that cave!" his goggles flash dangerously, "I was told that my fruit is one of the first successful ones, and that I shouldn't push it's abilities, but at this point?" his cheeks grimace into a furious smile, " _I just want you dead_. _Rrgh!_ " he grunts as he hunches over once more, his hair beginning to grow once more until it is down to his waist. The skin on his chest begins to contort again, and I could see something else churning underneath what wounds I could give him with my guns, " _Aaaaugh!_ " he screeches, a feral sound, and he arches his back, staring at the moon, his eyes bloodshot. Moments later, his skin is torn apart as fluffy white-blonde hair forces its way out, marred with specks of blood and skin. His teeth, once square, were now turned sharp, and I gulp nervously as his ears morph into sheep ears.

"So, uh," I hesitantly remark as he slumps to his knees, "Are you a Were-Sheep, or…?"

"I will gut you, Whitebeard," I hear him grunt as he plants a foot in the ground, standing up. As I looked at him, I saw that his pants had torn, contrary to standard Devil Fruit rules, revealing more white wool underneath, and it appeared as if he was in a state between hybrid-Zoan and his previous one, keeping his human physique, but having animal traits, instead of the other way around like normal Zoans.

"We'll see about that," I breathe out to calm myself, and dash, disappearing from sight-

" _Sheep's Horn,_ " Sheepshead hisses, flinging an arm out to the side, and his hand-horn strikes my side, sending me flying.

" _Gah!_ " I cry as my back slams into a tree, knocking the wind out of me. _I…_ I try to think, but my mind was still reeling. Slumping to the ground, I try to process what had happened.

"I know where you are, Whitebeard," Sheepshead sneers, "My senses have been heightened to that of an animal. You think I can be caught by cheap tricks like that?"

"Well," I cough, a glob of mucus being expunged from my body, and I look up to stare him in the goggles, "It was worth a shot."

"Those are your last words?" the Tseudo-Zoan growls as he strides toward me, "Well, other than your screams."

 _Damn,_ " I grit my teeth, and I remember the reason why I even came out there, _I hope that Rhea is okay…_ I think as I struggle up, mentally preparing myself for the fight to come.

 **AN: That's the chapter! I've been getting a lot of insight of the story, so I thank the guest who left those comments! As always, if you have any ideas or criticism, leave a review or PM me! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I will see you next chapter!**


	26. Chapter 26: Back in the game

Chapter 26

 **AN: Hey, everyone! Sorry for the wait, but I'm back baby! And with an extra long chapter to make up for my absence! Let's not waste any time and get into the chapter, shall we?**

Chapter 26

 _Bang!_

I flinch as more shots ring out in the night, staring up at the stone ceiling in the hospital bed, the thin sheets providing some warmth. The sounds of combat had been slowly getting closer, the shattering of trees and roars of anger itching at the back of my mind. I was terrified, having only just thought of my situation. I was the last line of defense for a group that likely couldn't defend themselves against whatever was coming, and the strongest one capable of combat in the cave. I knew that Leon was out there, holding off whatever was coming towards us, and I wanted to go out and help him, maybe provide some kind of suppression support, I knew I could, but the icy grip of fear on my heart kept me rooted to the spot. _I can't do anything more than just stay here and guard these people, right?_ I think, trying to convince myself that I was doing the right thing, but another loud _bang_ is my only answer. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to find some courage in my spent well, but I felt only fear.

I decide to think back on the day, wondering how all this happened. _First there was the Ninja guys, then being shot, then the… the…_

 _ **Give us a show, brat**_ **.**

I shiver as bold words echo in my skull, a cold chill running down my spine. I suddenly see a white void in my mind's eye, and my heart pounds as some part of me cowers at the unknown. Then, it dawns on me.

 _I died already._

I knew what was on the other side, but despite that, it still terrified me. Did it mean there was no higher being? Or was it simply a place where I would float in ether forever? I wrapped that blankets around myself tighter as some instinctual fear took hold. _If I don't go out and help, I could end up stuck in that void…_ I gulp, realizing that going out and fighting with Leon is my best chance at staying alive. If we couldn't take the guy together, then what chance did I have?

Throwing aside the blankets, I grab my rifle and knives, quickly slinging them onto my waist and back, and I do the same with my ammo bandoliers. Wincing as I put pressure onto my left leg, I glance around and spot some painkillers in a pill bottle. I open one of the pouches on my gear, emptying the ammo out and loading it into my rifle, and I replace it with the bottle, popping a few of them back before I do. Remembering my splintered stock, I tear away a strip of cloth from the sheets, taking a pillow and wrapping it securely into a makeshift cushion. Limping past Wash, I feel a pang of guilt, seeing as how I was disobeying his orders, and I have a notion to stay here, but it soon passes, and I make my way to the back of the cave, where doctor Illese was hunched over a table, "Hey, doc," I tap her on the shoulder, and she jumps in surprise.

"You!" she says after taking a few calming breaths, "What are you doing out of bed?"

"I'm going back out," I gulp, still unsure, and her expression is immediately hostile.

"No, you aren't," she frowns, but I ignore her, knowing if I listened what courage I have would never stand a chance.

"I need you to get everyone out," my voice wavers as I stare her in the eye, "If Leon and I… _fall_ , then you all need to be out of the cave. Understand?"

"Yes…" she starts to gather the papers scattered about the desk, but stops, "You're really serious about this, aren't you, kid?"

"Y-yeah," I shiver, "I might as well go fight now, because I won't stand a chance if I fight alone."

"Mr… Kelly, was it? You're scared, aren't you?" I nod, and she goes on, "You're a good kid. From what I was told, you went alone to the camp of the enemy, despite overwhelming odds, and when you found they were gone, you ran back with what energy you had left and ended up getting shot. Then, only an hour after you _somehow_ defied death, you volunteered to go out on a covert mission and take the enemy's ship," she pokes me in the chest, right next to my wound, "Then, you survive almost drowning, fighting one of Big Mom's Sweet Commanders, and getting hit by an explosion, and now, just a few hours after taking _inhuman_ strain on your body, you're going back out there. And I was told you joined the crew directly from one of the Blues. What you have done today is not cowardice, it is unbelievable courage," she smiles, "Just what I expect from one of Newgate's boys."

"So, you're encouraging me to go?" I ask, my fear beginning to fade.

"No," the doctor shakes her head, turning to gather what was left, "If I had my way, you'd be in a straightjacket and strapped to a table so you couldn't hurt yourself," she sighs, pointing to my rifle, "But, if you plan to just use that rifle of yours to do some good, then I suppose it'll do. Just don't be scared of your fate."

"Alright," I turn, limping back to the entrance, making up my mind, "Just make sure everyone gets out," I stare out into the night, steeling myself for what's to come, and I delve into the darkness, the torchlight behind me spilling onto the drying mud.

 _Bang!_

I dart my eyes to the right as my heart pounds, the direction of gunfire, and immediately make off through the mud, readying my rifle. _Levi, Rhea, where are you?_ I think as I trudge along, my calf burning. I feel the humid night air cling to my skin, flies flitting about as they move about the unconscious bodies of the Mom Pirates scattered on the hill. I grimace as I misstep, my foot twisting as it slips on the back of one, and it comes out of the muck with a _shlock!_ I have to repress my gag reflex as the stench of rot hits me, filling my nostrils, and I gulp my nervousness down only for it to be replaced by horror. As my eyes became more accustomed to the moonlight, I realized that I was walking through a graveyard, the bodies of attackers and dead defenders alike trapped and suffocated in the mud when they were knocked out by Pops' and Big Mom's Haki, _Keep moving, Ian_ , I tell myself, remembering the stories about the Battle of the Somme in WWI, where entire armies were swallowed by the rains. It may not be much, but if you fell on your face, you would suffocate, _You don't have time to dwell here…_

" _He…_ " I hear a weak voice carried on the wind, and I spin, my body staggering with the movement.

"Who's there?" I call out tentatively, gripping my rifle tighter with each passing moment, "If so, speak up."

" _Help_ ," I hear the voice down the hill, near the town, and I carefully slide down, stepping over bodies if they got in my way.

"Hello?" I ask, glancing around me. The buildings around me were empty, like open tombs, and the abandoned siege cannons situated between them. _This is where Wash and I snuck down,_ I realize, and I wondered whether or not I would see a dark red patch where I had laid.

" _Down here_ ," I hear, on the ground to my right, and I jump back as I see a body shift, the eyes opening.

" _Jesus!_ " I yell in surprise, and the echoes bounce off the abandoned buildings, a haunting feedback.

"Please," the face, large and wholesome, pleads, "I don't care who you are, just please, help me out. It's so cold."

"Why can't you get out?" I ask, leaning down to peel away the mud, "It doesn't seem too difficult," it shouldn't have been, as only his back and limbs were barely submerged, but as I looked at his face, I realized that he must've been freezing. In the cool night air and soaking mud, he had to have hypothermia or something, "Ah, nevermind."

"I think I gots hypotherra or somethin'," the man slurs, and his voice was beginning to sound familiar.

"You mean hypothermia?" I ask, and he lazily nods.

"Yeah, that," he says as I begin pulling him out, "Name's Buck, by the way. Thanks fer this."

"No proble-" I start, but then remember when I was down here with Wash, and the two out on patrol found us, "Wait, Buck? You have a son, right? About my age?"

"How did you-?" he squints at me, then his eyes widen as I pull him out, "Wait, you're that kid! I thought you were dead! No wonder we didn't find you again…" he suddenly jerks up, a massive body rising out of the mud, and he frantically looks around, "Where's Ricky? He's… he's my…" he trails off as he spots a body laying face down in the mud a few feet away, "No…"

"Go up the hill," I say, avoiding looking at the corpse, and I point to the cave, "They're getting ready to leave, but if you hurry, they can help you. Tell them that Ian Kelly sent you up there."

"But- but I-"

" _Go._ "

"Yeah, okay," the massive man's voice cracks, and his shoulders slump, trudging up the hill like a dead man. I carry on, making my way towards the spatters of gunfire in the forest ahead.

 _Bang!_

I hear another shot, much closer, and I hobble toward it as fast as my slowly numbing leg would allow - the painkillers were doing their job. Readying my rifle, I come to the edge of a forest, a flurry of movement and flashes of light deeper in, and I crouch down, the warm blood of my leg soaking through the bandage, and I creep through the underbrush. "Whitebeard!" a snarky, overconfident baritone pierces the silence, "I will say, I'm impressed at your tenacity, I expected you to keel over minutes ago!" I dash behind a tree, pressing my back into the bark, and peek around, searching through the trees.

 _Jeez, I didn't know Kaido's crew had Minks,_ was my first thought as I see a large, white, fluffy man with lamb ears, a group of minions with spikes sticking out their heads surrounding him, _I thought they hated each other… or is that only in the future…?_ I feel a pang of confusion and… familiarity in the back of my mind, and I frown as I see the goggles strapped to his face, _I feel like I've seen him before, and that he's extremely insignificant…_

"However, I don't have time to waste," the blonde man sneers, "Oh, well! I'll just bring along your corpse and use it to beat the crap out of your family!"

 _Ew…_ I grimace, bringing up my rifle and aiming it at one of the henchmen, _That is_ not _happening._

 _Crack!_

I pull the trigger, the bullet smashing into the man's shoulder, and he goes down. Diving into the underbrush with my good leg, I roll behind a tree as the one I was behind is riddled with bullets a moment later. _That was close_ … I gulp.

"Who goes there?" the sheep-man calls out, but I decide to take advantage of the darkness.

" _Over here!_ " I yell, shimmying up the tree as fast as I can after I said it, slinging my rifle behind my back.

"Get him!" the leader yells, and the remaining group of about seven charge blindly, bursting out from the underbrush, and I brace myself against the tree, taking out my rifle again. I open the breach, the brass shell popping out, which I catch, and inspect my ammunition. Four rounds, and I doubt they'll give me enough time to reload.

" _Rrgh,_ " I growl under my breath as I point the barrel down, at one of them, and pull the trigger.

 _Crack!_

The gun bucks, slamming against my shoulder, and I pump the lever as the other six look up, their fallen comrade grabbing at his back in anguish.

 _Crack!_

Another falls while trying to raise his musket.

 _Crack! *click* Crack!_

Two more are down, having tried to run away. Out of ammo, I quickly pull out my parrying dagger with my left hand and leap down, dropping twenty feet to plunge it into the fifth's shoulder. I crouch to minimize the force, lashing out with my free arm and striking the sixth's ankle, bringing him to one knee.

" _Why you little-_ " the seventh starts to yell as he comes up behind me, about to bring his blade down, but I let go of my dagger and spin with my good leg, leaping into him with all my power and slamming him into the tree, where I grab a clump of dirt and shove it into his mouth.

" _You_ -" six squeaks, picking himself up, but I ram my left hand into his nose, snapping his head back, and he falls to the ground.

" _Pah!_ " seven gags as he spits out the dirt, "The hell, man-!"

"Did I _say_ you could talk!?" I roar as I grab the hilt of my baselard and draw it, slamming the handle into his temple, and he staggers, clutching his head, " _Stay down!_ " I screech, and I try to slide behind him, but my left leg buckles, unable to take the strain. My shoulder slams into the earth, skidding to a halt.

" _Ha,_ not so tough now, are ya?" the pirate smirks, raising his sword, "Well, I'mma kill ya now."

" _Screw off!_ " I bark, reaching behind me and grabbing the barrel of my rifle with my left hand, and I swing up, drawing the rope that held it across my bare shoulder, and the stock comes from below, hitting the man's chin with a _crackle_ as his head snaps back. My foe falls, unconscious. I turn back to the one I stabbed, and he has a look of combined pain and terror on his face, and I limp over, my leg acting up again, "I'll take that. _Yoink,_ " I grab the hilt of my dagger and yank it out, blood spurting in a fountain from the wound, and he falls over facefirst, "Oh, shit!" I panic, not wanting to kill him, " _Ohmanohcrapohjeez-_ " I feel his neck for a pulse, and I feel a faint beat, " _Oh thank god,_ " I breathe a sigh of release, "I thought someone was gonna die there."

"Oh, _trust me_ ," I feel the murderous intent flowing off of something behind me, and my heart immediately begins pounding again, "Someone is going to die here."

"Uuh…" I gulp, icy sweat running down my back, "Mercy?"

" _No_ ," the sheep-man's voice was laced with ice.

 _Crap,_ I screw my eyes shut, bracing myself for the coming strike.

" _Tempest Shot!_ " I hear Leon's voice, feel a gust of wind slam my back, and hear a _crash_ as a large form splinters a tree to my right.

"Leon?" I ask, turning around.

"Well," the rookie Lieutenant grunts as he picks himself up from off the ground, golden revolver in hand, "Good thing to know _that_ still works."

"Jeez, you look like you got hit by a train!" I gape as I see the state he's in, "It's a good thing I got here when I did."

"Why are you here?" he groans as he sways, and I grab his shoulder to keep him steady, "Why aren't you back at the cave?"

"The cave should hopefully be empty by now," I comment, glancing back, praying that they had all gotten out safely, "I came here to help."

"Well, you're just going to die," Leon grits his teeth, clenching his fist, "This guy is stronger than me by a mile. I can hardly damage him, let alone dodge-" he is cut off as the splintered stump of a tree slams into him, tearing him from my grip, and my now-empty hand twitches as I slowly turn my head to see the sheep-man standing up, his eyes behind the goggles blazing with fury.

" _I will mount both your heads on poles after torturing you beyond belief and making you fight each other to the death, promising freedom to the winner, but ultimately change my mind and kill the survivor,_ " he growls ferally, spit frothing at the corners of his mouth, " _How does that sound?_ "

"Not good," I take action, quickly slinging around my rifle as years of practice put my body on autopilot. I pump the lever, ejecting the last empty cartridge, and reach into one of my pouches, grabbing the object. _Wait, wrong thing!_ I begin to panic as I shove the pill bottle back into its pouch, and the sheep-man surges forward, his white-golden locks flowing as his powerful legs bring him closer and closer to tearing me apart. The massive spiral horns on his… arms… _Wait,_ I realize, _Is this guy Sheepshead-?_ " _Gah!_ " I heave as he rears back, and I jump aside just fast enough not to be hit head-on, but the blunt part still strikes my chest, sending me spinning to the ground, rifle skidding away into the dark. _Olé…_ I think woozily, my head spinning, and I stagger, panting to regain my breath.

"So, anything else to say before I end your suffering?" Sheepshead growls, standing over me.

"You're a stereotypical and terrible henchman," I spit out a glob of mucus onto the ground next to me, "And you only lasted a few seconds against the Straw Hats, so you're pretty useless."

"..." the Headliner stands there in confusion, "You know, I have no idea who these 'Straw Hats' are, and I don't really care. Second, is _this_ ," he gestures to himself, "Useless? And third…" I tone him out as he goes on, searching around for any way to beat him, and I notice his legs. They had taken the form of a sheep's, and were pretty close, so I could probably sever a tendon with my Baselard, "... and because you've done all seventeen of these personal grievances against me," he draws the sword strapped to his back, "I'm going to use this sword to carve you like a thanksgiving turkey."

"Look out behind you!" I yell, seeing Leon struggling up, his revolver in hand.

"Oh, please, I'm not falling for that centuries-old trick!" the tseudo sheep-man - because he has a SMILE, he isn't really a true Zoan, I don't think - scoffs, and I frown as Leon brings his gun up, "I'm not an idiot-"

 _Bang!_

Sheepshead goes on, the bullet having bounced off his thick fur. "... as I said, I'm not an idio-"

 _Bang!_

"Not an i-"

 _Bang!_

"Not-"

 _Bang!_

" _Would you cut that out!?_ " the Headliner roars, spinning round on a dime, and I take advantage of the situation, quickly grabbing the hilt of my blade and swinging it, striking the exposed limb, but nothing happens, and Sheepshead glances back in annoyance, "Did you just try to cut my _leg_ off?" he asks, and I hesitantly shake my head 'no', "Yeeeeah, that's bullshit and we _both_ know it," the tseudo sheep-man spins, slamming his other leg into my stomach, and I go flying, slamming into a tree with a _crack!_

 _Ah!_ My back screams in pain as I slump to the ground, vision jarred. I hadn't expected this much strength from one man, let alone a three-minute villain, and I was beginning to regret coming here, _Ow…_ I think as I blink a few times, getting my bearings, but all I see is a black hoof standing in front of me. "Wow," I pant as I take in the grunge and gore on it, "You should really get that cleaned- _oof!_ " I cough as said hoof rams my gut, knocking the wind out of me for the second time today.

"Well, looks like this brat lost all his spunk," Sheepshead scoffs, "Weakling over there is down too… oh, well, guess I'll kill them," he raises the hoof/foot, about to stamp down on my head, but a ringing in his pocket stops him, and he reaches in, pulling out a transponder snail that wore a familiar pair of purple-rimmed sunglasses, "Levi? What do you want?" he asks the snail in annoyance, and I grit my teeth at the name, anger surging through my veins. He'd allowed this to happen. Didn't he know what would go on if he did!?

" _What are you doing right now?_ " a cocky, overbearing voice comes through, dominating my eardrums.

"I'm fighting some Whitebeards I ran into, agent," the Headliner responds, "You probably knew them."

" _You idiot,_ " Levi hisses, " _Are you disobeying Captain Jack's orders?_ " the traitor sneers, and each word sends a pang of fury through my heart, " _Stop procrastinating! Go to that cave and kill everyone before they can escape!_ "

"Screw off, I have them dead to rights," Sheepshead sneers back, with just as much ire, "Are you trying to save your comrades or something? They hold no value to you!"

" _I'm not so sure Jack would be as understanding as I am,_ " Levi scoffs, and a few words from someone on his end of the line bring his attention away for a moment, " _Oh, sorry, I have to go. Don't want to raise suspicion_ ," the snail ends the call with a _click_.

I look up at Sheepshead, and his already pale skin had drained of any color, turning his skin completely white in terror. "Y-you're still gonna die, Whitebeards," he raises his hoof once more.

"They're… escaping…" I wheeze, my chest tightening as I stare death in the face.

"What?" he asks, and I indulge him.

"I told the townspeople to leave before I left to help Leon," I cough, "They're probably already gone."

" _You_ … _I… augh!_ " the headliner grits his teeth, wheeling around and charging through the forest, probably trying to make it there before the citizens escape, "You're lucky, Whitebeard! I'm coming back for you after I kill all them!" were his last words before he disappeared into the darkness.

"Wow," I grunt as I struggle up, my entire body in pain, "I _can't_ believe that worked."

"Okay…" I hear Leon groan from across the battle-made clearing, "Did you just trick him into leaving us at the expense of those in the cave? What the _hell_ , kid!?"

"Don't worry," I grimace as I try to stand up straight, "It's as I just said, everyone is probably gone from it, so they should be fine."

"I _hope_ ," the father pushes himself off the ground, bruises and cuts covering his arms and legs, his shirt shredded, "But that guy was way too powerful for me to handle. Hell, both of us _together_ couldn't beat him."

"Leon, I am _literally_ the weakest Sergeant," I glance around, spotting my rifle sitting on the ground a few feet away, and I sheathe my Baselard, limping over to it and grabbing it by the stock. Opening the breach, I grab one of my stripper clips, pushing the five shots into the rifle and closing the lever, "I really only would've been able to take out the minions. Which I did."

"* _Sigh_ * I suppose," he nurses his head, which was bleeding above the eyebrow, "I took a few shots, so I don't think I'll be able to make it far."

"You're going to die?" I hobble over, slinging his arm over my shoulder.

"No, no," Leon grins, casting aside my worries, "I'm just tired, that's all. It's been a long day."

"I'll help you, then head to the beach," I say, my own eyes itching with sleep, "I'll do what I can."

"Thanks, kiddo," Leon mutters as he slumps into me, his carrot-orange hair fluttering softly in the night breeze. I grit my teeth, walking back toward the houses, each step on my left leg an excruciating journey. The painkillers were doing their job, however, as the wound soon numbed enough for me to bear it. I quickly found a house, breaking the wooden door down with the butt of my rifle, and I make my way inside.

 _Excuse me, ma'am?_ I imagine how the conversation would go, _Could I borrow one of your rooms to stick this injured man in?_ I search around, dragging the Lieutenant with me, and find a room with a large enough bed in the upstairs. Laying Leon down in it, I cover him with the sheets, treating him like he would treat me. "I'll be back, Leon," I say, starting to walk out, but a mutter from the injured Lieutenant stops me, "What?"

" _Violet… Jason…_ " he cries softly, seemingly pleading with any higher power to save his wife and son, and I feel a pang of sadness.

… _I miss my parents,_ I think longingly as I walk out the door, pulling a sofa behind me to barricade it. I strain my bruised arms as I wedge the large object into the door, and, satisfied with my work, I begin to make my way to the beach, where I could hear the sounds of combat echoing through the night.

" _AAAAAAAARGH!_ " I press myself against a nearby building as a screech of pure anguish and fear pierces the darkness, and I could tell it came from the cave.

 _He must have found it empty,_ I say, relief flooding through me, _Serves the guy right. But I should probably get going. I don't want the bastard to catch me,_ I quickly delve into the forest, my back aching, but I grit my teeth, forcing myself through the pain.

" _Whitebeeeeard!_ " I hear Sheepshead roar, somewhere in the woods behind me, and I begin to sweat, knowing that there would be no mercy, and my chest aches at the prospect of dying, and the thought of going back to that endless white void spurs me on.

" _Rah!_ " I'm forced to roll to the side when a tree next to me splinters, a spiral horn slamming into it. The tseudo sheep-man connected to said horn looked less than pleased, " _Hey there, brat!_ " Sheepshead screams, " _You pretty much killed me!_ "

"And, uh," I gulp, staggering back, ready to bolt, "How is this _my_ problem?"

" _You caused it_ ," I could barely see his eyes behind his goggles, and they were bloodshot, crazed from fear and anger, " _So, as compensation, I will spit you open and tear apart your body while you are still conscious, and make you feel every last drop of pain Captain Jack will give me._ "

"Okay," I hesitate, trembling, "I understand your anger, but you can't take it out on others-"

" _I will kill you!_ " the Headliner screams, and I turn on a dime, sprinting as fast as I can.

" _ShaveShaveShaveShave!_ " I screech, moving my feet as fast as I could, managing only my measly two steps per second with my wounded leg, but it wasn't fast enough.

" _Whitebeard!_ " Sheepshead yells, bounding after me with his sheep legs, quickly gaining, " _Get back here!_ "

 _I have to get some distance between us,_ my hand inches to my knives, _If I can manage that, I can shoot him. That should work, right?_ I begin to sweat, and the scar on my face begins to ache, the situation seeming a bit too familiar to me. Helpless, with a significantly stronger man trying to kill me, _Hmm…_ I wonder, looking at a larger, thicker tree to my side, _That_ could _work…_ I dive to the side, the sheep-man behind me skidding past, then resuming his pursuit. I quickly make it to the tree, a large oak, and turn to wait for my attacker.

" _Yes!_ " Sheepshead grins sadistically, leaping off of trees with his mutated limbs, "Stay _right_ where you are, Whitebeard! I'm glad you've come to my terms of thinking!" He lands sideways on a tree a few feet away, crouching on it while his inertia keeps him up, and I tense, preparing to jump to the side, " _Raaah!_ " the tseudo sheep-man roars, jumping at me, his spear hands held out in front.

" _Hah!_ " I yell, diving to the side, and the monster slams into the larger tree, embedding one of his horns in it, "I'll see you in hell, bastard!" I turn on a dime, bringing around my rifle. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and I forgot everything about my morals and ideals. This was a time for action, and it was do or die.

 _Crack!_

I pull the trigger, the old weapon bucking in my grip, and Sheepshead jolts, the bullet hopefully tearing his internal organs to shreds. "How do you like that, Bo Peep!?" I yell, pulling away my rifle, and a small trickle of red stains the tseudo-Zoan's wool, "Not so tough now, are ya!?"

"You _brat,_ " I hear him hiss, and my elation goes numb, dying almost as quickly as it came up, "I guess it's my lucky day!" the Headliner stares me down, goggles twitching, "That manages to get through my fur."

 _Right,_ I think as he swings back his free arm, _He's a Zoan-_ " _Oof!_ " I gasp as I'm flung away, the large horn slamming me sideways, and I land on my chest, a tightness beginning to crush my chest, " _Ah! Gah!_ " I gape, clutching at my throat in an attempt at regaining my breath. Fifteen feet away, Sheepshead tears his hand out of the tree, walking over to me. _It was a bad idea coming out here…_ my oxygen-starved brain thinks as my vision begins to darken.

" _Breathe_ ," a hoof slams into my chest wound with a _crack_ , and I jerk awake as my heart throbs, my lungs flooding with oxygen as I gasp in pain, " _I want you awake for this_ ," the sheep-man sighs, his grotesque features shrinking back into his body as he returns to human form, "I need the use of my hands," he explains, as if he needed one, "And since you so _kindly_ deprived me of torturing all the little people," He grabs my shirt, "I'll just torture _you_ ," he rears back his free hand, clenching it into a fist, "Y'know, I could have actually just sniffed them out," he muses, "Oh, well. I'll just do it after I'm finished here," the fist comes down, and my nose explodes.

" _Aaaah!_ " I scream, my entire skull vibrating as my neck crackles, my skull slamming into the ground. I try to bring my hands instinctively, but the Headliner grabs my wrists, crushing them in his grip.

"Oh, this is _beautiful!_ " I see Sheepshead grin through blurry vision, "The rush of giving pain to others! I love it!" He stands, dragging me over to a tree, and he swings me, slamming me into it with a _crunch_ , and I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out, my vocals constricted, "Oh, you can't cry?" he sneers, "Well, let's remedy that," he tosses me to the ground, where I lay, twisted and in shock. I hear the _shink_ as metal slides out of a scabbard, and I strain my neck as I turn my head, seeing glinting steel as Sheepshead draws his sword with sadistic glee, "I hope you enjoy tattoos," he licks his lips, towering over my prone form, "Because I'll carve one out with your own blood!"

I tense, trying to get my wits about me. _I have to get out of here_ , I grit my teeth, thinking about kicking him in the balls and running off.

"Here, hold this," he stabs down, aiming for my shoulder, but I squirm out of the way, the blade nicking my arm, and I wince at the cold steel, "Stay still, brat!" he stomps down on my chest, striking my wound, and I grit my teeth, refusing to squeal in pain.

" _Huuuh…_ " I hiss, wanting to get up and beat him to a pulp, but I knew there was nothing I could do.

"So, what can I do…" Sheepshead thinks aloud, "I want something trauma-inducing, something that he can remember," he spies something on my left cheek, "Ah! That'll do," he places the edge of the massive blade against my scar, and despite my thrashing, successfully slides it across, slicing open the old wound with cold steel.

" _Aah!_ " I yell, jerking my knee up, but I'm only met with solid muscle as I hit his calf.

" _Bababa!_ Well, looks like you got some fight left!" the Headliner cackles, his eyes behind the goggles crazed with bloodlust, "What other wounds do you have?" he looks me over and spies my chest bandages, "Oh? How could I have missed this?" he grins in near-euphoria, and shivers as he reaches for the linen.

" _HEY!_ " the headliner quickly turns as a new voice suddenly yells, and two boot-clad feet fly into his face, sending him flying into a tree a few feet away, and Haruta shakily lands on his palm, holding himself up with one limb, "You get away from my friend, you creepy _bastard!_ " he twists himself around, twisting up into a standing pose, drawing _Ikari_ to the ready stance, "That was getting way too weird, dude," he turns to look at me, "Hey, Kelly, hope I'm on time," Haruta looks over at me, a smile in his eyes, but I could see the trembling in his legs as he stood, the sweat in his hair as it dripped down his face.

"Who the hell are you, pretty-boy?" Sheepshead grins maniacally, veins popping from his temples, "You think you can take me!?"

 _No_ , I think, unable to speak. The blood in my mouth and nose was choking me, making it difficult to breathe, let alone talk. I wanted to tell him to get out of here, that this guy was able to beat Leon without any trouble, but I couldn't. Speaking of Haruta, he looked a little worse for wear. His shirt was completely gone, only clad in torn-up pants, and his body was covered in small cuts and bruises, his hair covered in sand. He looked exhausted, with bags pulling at his eyes like hands. On an unrelated note, I had never seen him without a shirt, and I must say, he was _shredded_. Like, his muscles weren't thick, but they were chiseled, _He must've come here right from the fight_ , I think as his legs wobble, and Sheepshead grins as he sees this.

 _Whoosh!_

I gape in surprise as Haruta disappears from view, blurring instantly into thin air, and I search around for my friend. " _Whirlwind!_ " I hear, and I spot him as he appears behind Sheepshead, his blade held ready. The Whitebeard Lieutenant jerkily slashes horizontally as Jack the Drought's top Headliner turns in surprise, only to receive a number of lacerations across his chest, blood spurting out. Coming to my senses, I stagger up, grabbing my rifle, and stumble to a cluster of trees, hoping to at least be of some help. Turning around, I tuck my rifle against my shoulder, setting my sights upon our foe.

" _Gah!_ " the sheep-man growls in surprise, "Who…? _What…!?_ " Sheepshead grabs at his exposed chest, blood slowly flowing down his muscles, covering his hand, "You look half dead! How can you move like that!?"

"I'm wearing roller skates," Haruta stares him down, his shoulders slumped but his gaze cocky and full of confidence, "Ah, nevermind. That was a bad quip."

" _Ha,_ " the Headliner laughs at the comment, trying to shake it off, "You're sounding a little too confident there! What's your name?"

" _Gust_ ," Haruta replies sarcastically, but Sheepshead takes it seriously.

"'Gust'?" he asks, confused, "What kinda name is tha- * _Ah!_ *" he gasps as Haruta vanishes again with a blast of wind. He looks down, bewildered, and the Lieutenant is in front of him, _Ikari_ held an inch away from the sheep-man's gut.

" _Gust_ ," Haruta grins, and his hand flicks for a fraction of a second, sending the blade into Sheepshead's gut and quickly yanking it back out.

"..." the Headliner couldn't say anything as he clutches his stomach, staggering back in shock and from the winds as he slowly bleeds out.

" _Shhh…_ " Haruta puts a finger to his lips, "You're making a fool of yourself."

" _You-!_ " Sheephead gasps, tearing off his goggles to reveal bloodshot eyes, but Haruta lashes out with his free hand, catching him on the nose, and my own nose pangs in half-pity.

"Me," the Lieutenant grins. Sheepshead stumbles back, clutching his bleeding nose, running into a tree, "So, how does having _your_ nose punched feel?"

" _Dah!_ " the Headliner squeals, "Ah thing you bwoke id!"

"Sounds about right," Haruta grins, breathing hard, "You know, I just came from the beach, where your crew is invading? And you're getting your asses kicked."

"Das wud _you_ thing!" Sheepshead groans, blood seeping through his fingers, and I wipe my hand along my mouth, it coming away bloody.

 _Crap,_ I think as I tear off a piece of my bandages and stuff it in my nose, _I forgot that happened! It's so numb…_

"What do you mean?" I return my attention to Haruta, who was pointing _Ikari_ across at our foe, but Sheepshead stays quiet, " _Answer me!_ "

" _Bababa_ ," the Headliner just laughs, calmly rising. He puts his pointer finger to his nose and blows, popping out a wad of blood and mucus, "You think you have the upper hand, don't you?"

"Well, considering I've been bodying you for the past couple of exchanges…" Haruta raises an eyebrow, "Yeah. Pretty much."

"You haven't even seen my Devil Fruit abilities yet, you Whitebeard trash!" Sheepshead barks, "What makes you think you can beat me!?"

"Wait, you had a Devil Fruit?" Haruta grins, " _Pfehe,_ and here I was thinking you were just pathetic! Maybe this time you'll pose a challenge."

" _You-!_ " the Headliner takes a step forward, rage dominating his expression, but stops himself. Then, he grins, his crazed eyes glinting, "You know, Whitebeard. Captain Kaido is going to kill both your beloved 'Pops' and Big Mom within the day," Haruta tensed at the comment, and my trigger finger twitches, prepared to shoot, "Did you think this was the only target!? We've attacked every Island you have with our men! Do you understand!? _This is war!_ Even now, Captain Kaido is tearing apart your forces and slaughtering your crew! You-!"

 _Crack!_

I grit my teeth as I pump the lever on my rifle, the barrel smoking. "You talk too much, Bo Peep," I say, and Haruta grins as Sheepshead clutches his side, which was slowly dripping blood through his fingers.

"You…" the Headliner grunts, " _You…_ "

"Me," I smirk, training my rifle on him once more.

" _Eyyyy!_ " Haruta winks at me, and I wink back.

"You… _mock me!?_ " Sheepshead glares at me, his bloodshot eyes filled with rage and hate, " _I am stronger than the strongest Government Agents! I have fought off the World Government's best assassins! I will not be mocked by a damn brat!_ " His body twitches as he hunches over, the skin on his arms and legs distorting as something crawled underneath. I grimace as his skin splits, spindly wool spilling from inside, and his ears burst into that of a sheep's, with his legs twisting into hooves, cracking as they become double-jointed. This is the Sheepshead I was unfamiliar with in terms of form, but had fought before. Well, not really _fought_. More like, gotten my ass kicked. But still, this was more familiar territory.

 _What happened to the form he used when he got kicked by Sanji?_ I wonder. He had only used this mutated sheep one while I was here, and I was getting confused.

"Well, normally, I'd say something along the line of your transformation being pointless," Haruta frowns as our foe stands tall, snapping me from my thoughts, "But I don't have time for this. I have to get back there to help Cracker and Atlas ASAP, so let's wrap this up before dinner, 'kay? I'm thinking…" he closes his eyes, grinning, "Lamb chops. Thatch'll like whipping that one up in the kitchen."

" _Aaargh!_ " Sheepshead roars, leaping towards him with impressive speed, and Haruta 's eyes snap open as he leaps back, a look of surprise dominating his features.

" _Holy-!_ " he grunts as he skids back on his sneakers, bringing _Ikari_ up into a defensive stance and covering it with black armament coating as the Headliner surges forward once more, slamming one of his horn-hands into the saber, pushing Haruta back again.

 _Was he this fast before!?_ I gulp as I try to keep my target trained in the darkness. I had only ever been chased by the man, and I wasn't liable to look back, but he had made it back in only a moment while in his second form, so speed made sense, _It won't matter! I just need one good shot…_ I watch as the Headliner pushes on, slamming blow after blow into Haruta's defense, which looked on the verge of breaking. The Lieutenant's actions were sluggish - he likely used all he had to try and intimidate Sheepshead before - and he was barely keeping up. My finger tenses on the trigger, readying to fire, and I breathe deeply, _You're mine_.

 _Crack!_

Sheepshead jumps back instantly as his ears twitch, the bullet just narrowly missing his leg, and he looks at me, feral anger in his gaze. _Oh, I am become error_ , my heart pounds as he jumps at me, horns extended, and I freeze in fear.

" _Kelly!_ " Haruta tries to move, but his legs suddenly give out, and he falls to the ground, body shaking. I can feel it deep down that this would be my end if I didn't move, but I couldn't. It was like my entire body was a statue - immovable, fragile.

"Get down!" I feel something run into me, knocking me to the side, and I catch sight of Sheepshead as he soars past before I slam into the ground, rolling to a stop, "Jeez, what were you thinking?" a female voice berates me, and I look up to see blue eyes and dark brown hair, "When you get attacked, you move. It's simple."

"T-thanks-" I stammer, and I take a deep breath before restarting, "Thanks, Rhea. Why are you here? I thought Leon said you ran."

"I left to get help. Who did you think told Haruta about this in the first place?" Atlas' daughter sighs. She looked worse for wear, with cuts along her leather cuirass, and she had a large bruise on her cheek bone.

"Oh, I thought that he used Haki to find me," I said, shakily standing.

"Dang it, you," Haruta huffs as he slowly pushes himself up, somewhat regaining his composure, but his legs were still trembling, "I was trying to be all cool and omnipotent. And I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling islanders!"

"Oh?" I suddenly remember why I was here as a voice sounds, and I spin to see Sheepshead standing, his horns glistening as the moon filters through the trees, "Another one, eh?" the Headliner sneers, "Another to torture. The more the merrier!"

"Damn," Rhea huffs, "I was hoping I would be able to catch him by surprise, but I had to save you," she shoots at me, "Nice going."

"Well, considering how I'm your only ranged support," I retort, all courtesy forgotten as I pump the lever of my rifle, "You shouldn't complain," I jump behind her, bringing up the Russian 1895.

" _Hey!_ " Haruta breathes raggedly as he staggers in from behind me, "Don't forget about me. I'm still here."

"You're half dead," Atlas' daughter raises and eyebrow, and Haruta shoots her a look of sarcasm.

"And?" he scoffs, holding up his blade, and it begins to darken with Haki, but it disappears, "Damn. Guess I really _did_ hit a wall back there. I can't even focus, _pfehe_."

And as we all stood, our trio across from our single enemy, I realize something. "We need to strategize, or we'll never win."

"Normally, I would prefer to beat him alone," Haruta bites his lip, "But considering the circumstances… I'm open to ideas."

Rhea tries to get her piece in. "Well, we could always-"

"Fight starts now," Sheepshead growls from behind me, and I freeze as I feel his breath on my neck.

" _Kelly-!_ " I hear Haruta yell as he spins, his eyes widening. That was the last image I saw before ivory horns slammed into the side of my head, and everything went black.

-( **Vista: Unnamed Island** )-

"-yes, I understand that you're having problems dealing with Speed, my boy Izo," I grunt through a transponder snail at the younger Commander, who was having problems hitting his foe on an island hundreds of miles away. In one hand, I held the snail to my ear. In the other, I held my blade as I cut a swath through the Beasts Pirates that had flooded the island a mere hour ago. Unfortunately, however, Father and Linlin had not ceased their battle, "But this is hardly the time!"

" _Vista, please!_ " the Wano native pleads, and I spin as I slice a bullet in half, completing it by slashing three enemies across the chest, " _She's been peppering me with arrows since she arrived, and keeps a block of bodies between me and her at all times!_ "

"Yes, well, possibly might you have thought to call the expert on projectile weapons instead of a swordsman?" I jump aside as my mind surges, and a second later, the ground where I was standing explodes as a cannonball strikes the ground, killing two more of Kaido's. These fools had no concern for their own, and the thought made anger swell inside my bosom, "I apologize for cutting this short, but call Curiel!"

" _Wait-!_ " Izo yells, but I press the side of the snail, silencing it. Not courteous at all, but I needed to focus.

I glance to the side, and see Smoothie choking the life out of one of our foes, using his life essence to hurl a massive blade of that strange liquid through the battlefield with her Devil Fruit abilities. I found everything about her swordsmanship enticing - she moved with grace, yet also barbaric purpose - and her Fruit ability had caught my attention. If I were a younger man, I likely would have pursued, but with age comes wisdom, and I knew it was folly. But, I could still enjoy myself in battle, yes? "Enjoying yourself, my dear?" I call out, and the amazonian woman shoots me a look of harsh irritation as she crushes a man in her grip, "Why the harsh look? Have I offended you?"

"Why are you distracting me!?" the gargantuan silver-haired lady barks, and I grin, catching my top hat as it flies off my head.

" _Tsohoho!_ Why, is it so wrong to strike up a conversation?" I laugh, cutting a fresh swathe through the foes before me.

"In the middle of a fight, yes!" she grunts, cleaving two more in two.

"Come now," I slash, sending nearly every man near me flying. I was glad that I had ordered my Division to fall back, because it meant I could let loose without fear of harming them. The other three had as well, so it was only us, "It's simply a few questions of your abilities."

"Why would I tell you?" she stomps down, staggering many, "Just so you can turn on me and come up with some strategy later? I don't think so."

"Oh, _please_ ," I scoff, feigning hurt, "I have no intention of truly harming you, after what I learned an hour ago. And my curiosity is purely scientific! No need to be defensive."

"Don't try to fool me," the Sweet Commander growls, and I'm taken aback. Was my reputation truly that horrible? "I know your kind. You try to learn as much as possible only to stab us in the back!"

"Please, leave the mischief to Thatch," I retort, "That brother of mine more fits your description, and he isn't one to betray."

"Just leave me be," Smoothie scoffs, turning away.

"* _sigh_ *, Why are the interesting ones always the most difficult?" I mutter. Speaking of brothers, I look up to see a blaze of blue and yellow flame rocket down from the heavens, a streak of heatless light that burns a streak through the enemy. Once more, I am grateful that our crew is not present, but he suddenly stalls, drifting in the air and staring off into the distance, " _Marco!_ " I call up to him, worried, " _What's wrong!?_ "

I hear a curse from him, and he quickly turns, diving down and striking the earth in front of me in an inferno, morphing back to his human state, a look of nervous tension on his face. "Vista, we have a problem."

This caught my attention. "What is it?"

" _He's_ here."

Those words stopped me in my tracks. Quickly focusing, I reached out with my Haki, and felt the presence from earlier drawing closer. I should've detected that earlier. Thatch was right, we were getting softer. "Are you sure?" I ask, not familiar with Kaido's Haki, and my brother nods, confirming my fears.

"Yeah," he scowls, "I'm going to go warn Katakuri, if you tell Smoothie. We need all the help we can get."

"Marco," I stop him, grabbing his arm before he transformed, "You need to warn Father. He's still fighting Linlin, but you need to tell him or we may never stand a chance."

"..." he simply stands there, inanimate, and I see his gears grinding. If our second in command is unsure, it can't be good, "I can't get close-"

"Yes you can," I say, "If you don't, we _all_ perish."

"... fine," Marco hisses, "But you need to warn the other two," he slips out of my grasp, being set ablaze, and he shoots off, a blazing light in the night sky. _Kaido…_ I think, my nerves fraying, and I gulp as I set off to warn our new allies.

 **AN: That's the chapter! I hope with my schedule clearing up it'll allow me to write more, so I hope to get the next chapter out sooner rather than later. Anyhow, I'll see you all next time!**


	27. Chapter 27: Alone

Chapter 27

 **AN: Chapter 27, woo! We're about a month and a half away from our 1-year anniversary, so that's something to look forward to! I received a comment last chapter asking whether or not this fic was still rated T, and I will be honest here: I have no idea how to do ratings, just because you have fics that have brutal descriptions with a T rating and you have M's that are rated that way because of minor swearing. But, I think I will keep it at T, mainly because the story focuses around characters.**

Chapter 27

( **Marco** )

"... _fine,_ " I hiss, the Commander of the Fifth Division staring me down, "But you need to warn the other two," turning, I slip out of my surrogate brother's grip, feeling the familiar tug in my mind as my body alights, blazing into the sky. I leap up, letting the updraft catch me, and blast off towards the other side of the island. I was nervous, my heart giddy as I scan the area below. The island was scarred, craters and flames being twisted in as more and more shells rained in from Kaido's fleet to the Northwest. To the Northeast, our own small array of ships, including the _Moby_ , were anchored. There were still men swarming onto small rowboats, trying to flee to the fleet before more hell broke loose.

 _Crack!_

" _Gah!_ " I flare my wings, stopping myself before I ran headlong into a mid-air rend, one of Pops' hits, just barely dodging as the crack continues, tearing through the clouds of smoke above. This was hazardous, having two Emperors on one island, but with Kaido joining in, that made three. I was glad this place was even just partially as big as the Alabastian desert. I dive down, hoping to avoid any more surprises, and glance back.

I could just see an army of hundreds attempting to swarm over three figures, each carving a bloody path through the force they faced. I was tempted to go back and help, but I keep forging on my path, believing each of them to be skilled enough alone. My thoughts are confirmed as I feel my red-headed counterpart from the Mom Pirates unleashes a blast of willpower, crumpling all around him. _Now for Pops…_ I grit my teeth, turning and flying to the Southeastern side of the Island, where I could see two titanic figures trading blows in the distance.

" _Reaaaaaugh!_ " I heard a roar of primal fury, and I'm tossed about as a blast of pressure strikes me.

" _Nngh,_ what the-!?" I grunt as I try to realign myself, regaining control. _What the hell_ was _that?_ I think as I dive, swooping low as more cracks appear in the sky around me, and my flames scorch the earth beneath me.

" _You dare to attack me, Newgate!?_ " I hear the voice of one Charlotte LinLin screech, and I finally see them, two titans towering over the island in a cloud of dust and fire, " _I'll end you_ and _your pathetic crew!_ "

"You won't land a finger on my family!" I hear Pops exclaim in response, and another blast of pressure batters me to the ground.

" _Ah!_ " I grunt as I hit the dirt, my bones creaking. _Damn,_ I grit my teeth, pushing myself up, _If I stick around any longer, I might not survive… thank Pops that I have Phoenix abilities…_ I peer into the cloud of dust, catching sight of shadows clashing, a massive glaive meeting a gargantuan saber, sparks flying from each.

"It doesn't have to be like this, LinLin!" I hear Pops try to reason with his foe, "You know that we've been played by that brat Kaido!"

" _No!_ " Big Mom's voice, crazed and feral, urges, and I see the saber swiping as she pushes on, Pops on the defensive. I didn't understand why he didn't use his Fruit, but I wasn't one to question, " _You burned my chocolate! Chocolate!_ _ **Chocolate!**_ " and with that, they finally burst from the dust. Pops was heavily battered and bruised, his face and chest covered with small cuts, but he still pushed on, his tricorn hat flying off his head as Big Mom strikes once more, laughing insanely with glee, " _Mamama!_ _ **Mamama!**_ "

" _Rrrrrgh_ ," Pops growls, holding her back with the grip of his glaive, feet digging into the ground, digging trenches fit for warfare into the cracked earth, " _Rrrraaaaagh!_ " he pushes back, planting his feet and throwing LinLin off, sending her massive figure crashing to the ground, leaving an indent in the dirt as dust kicks up around them once more. Speaking of the matriarch, she was huge, towering over even Pops, her figure muscular, but considerably thinner than the last time I had seen her at one of her 'Roger Parties'. She must not have been eating as many sweets lately or something. Even when she was eating, she wasn't much thicker, but you could tell she was beginning to let herself go. Either way, she was still extremely powerful, and I began to sweat as I decided to make myself known.

" _Pops!_ " I yell as loud as I can muster, flaring my wings, " _He's here!_ "

" _Marco!?_ " Pops swivels his head, eyes widening in surprise upon seeing me, " _What are you doing here!?_ "

"We need help!" I keep my distance, knowing that LinLin could pop up at any moment, and that wasn't something I wanted to deal with, "We can't deal with Kaido alone!"

"I realize, Marco," Pops clenches his jaw, his moustache - even I don't know why we're called White _beard_ s when Pops has a 'stache, but I suppose 'White'staches' doesn't exactly roll off the tongue - ruffled and dirty, "Unfortunately, LinLin won't calm down enough to be reasonable. You need to hold out for as long as possible until I can stop her or turn her on that animal-wannabe brat."

"Alright," I nod, turning to leave, but a warping glow in the corner of my eye stops me in my tracks, and I wheel back around, eyes widening as I see Big Mom towering behind the man that had taken me under his wing so many years ago, hands glowing with an unnatural white energy, " _Pops! Watch out-!_ "

" _Maaaamamama!_ " my blood turns to ice as I see her clamp her fingers onto the shoulders of my Captain, " _I'll steal your entire life from you, Newgate!_ " she roars, her eyes crazed, and the glow increases, becoming a blinding light as she begins to tear away at Pops' soul.

Pops was silent.

His head down, he clenches a fist tight, dropping his glaive, and the weapon clatters to the ground. " _LinLin…_ " he growls, his voice deepening as the ground beneath me begins to tremble, " _Did you forget already…?_ " he slowly lifts up a hand, reaching behind him and grasping his fellow _Yonko_ 's wrist, crushing it in his grip, " _This won't work-_ " he stomps forward with one leg, burying the massive boot in the ground, and his eyes flash as his pupils shrink, his other fist glowing as the air around it bends, the very power of the earth itself surging through his veins, and his muscles bulge as he swings forward, pulling his foe over his back and in front of him, " _ **BECAUSE I DON'T FEAR DEATH!**_ " he rears back his other arm, the air being torn apart as he steps forward, and he drives the power of earthquakes into the Captain of the Big Mom pirates, reality shattering until I couldn't even see the two of them in the spiderweb of cracks that sent LinLin sprawling, crashing to the ground once more. I was pushed back by the force, just barely hanging on, when I hear him, " _My son, go!_ " Pops booming voice orders me, keeping his eyes locked on LinLin, " _The fate of this crew rests on your shoulders! Make me proud!_ " with that, Pops disappears behind a cloud of dust, and I steel myself, taking flight once more.

We would have to fight Kaido's crew alone for now.

( **Vista: Other side of the Island** )

The cannon fodder had long since been repelled, and the battlefield was charred and barren.

We had been waiting for nearly half an hour for Kaido to land, but the ship was simply sitting there, waiting for something. I had warned Katakuri and Smoothie of the threat, but they already had felt the titan - who wouldn't have? - and it was only a matter of clearing out the minions. Now, we waited, nervous and unsure of our fate.

It came in the form of two men coming ashore, one interestingly flamboyant, the other just plain rude.

"Why are you even here, you waste of space!?" one, wearing a black leather suit that even covered his face and far too many spikes to be healthy, barks at the other.

"Because I'm a better choice than you, you pus-licking pteradon!" the second, a flamboyant man wearing striped suspenders and goggles, smoking a cigar and sporting a fu manchu mustache and ponytail, fires back. He looked like a… what did Thatch call it? Ah, yes, a 'drag queen'.

"I don't need a damn sidekick, you shitty sauropod, so get out of my face!" King the Conflagration yells, and his counterpart turns on him.

"Oh, _please!_ " Queen the Plague scoffs, "I am _not_ the Sheepshead to your pathetic Jack!"

"Wait, can we talk about that!?" King asks, and they suddenly stop antagonizing each other. I was confused, to say the least.

"Oh, poor little _Jack!_ " Queen mockingly bats his eyelashes at… some point far away, " _I need a sidekick because I'm not strong enough to fight a weak little former Commander all alone!_ " Queen scowls, so uncouth, "Pathetic."

"He's so useless," King snorts, crossing his arms rudely, "He can't even properly fight without his little fleet! And he even has the gall to ask the Captain for help, when we have to take over all those islands!"

"I _know_ , right?" Queen nods his head, "Despite how pathetic he is, that useless Headliner could've at least _weakened_ one for the rest of us!"

"What are they doing?" Smoothie raises an eyebrow, "Aren't they allies?"

"It appears that Kaido's forces are not quite as unified as we may have believed," Katakuri comments, his head seemingly sinking deeper into that scarf of his, watching as the two All-Stars argue their way to us.

"This may work to our advantage, my friend," my body shakes in anticipation, and I feel the Sweet Commander's glare on my neck.

"You _aren't_ my friend," the redhead growls, nearly hostile, and I raise an eyebrow, "Not to me, and not to Smoothie."

" _Tsohoho,_ now, now," I simply chuckle, "I'm just being polite! We _are_ allies, after all. I apologize if you took it the wrong way, but I didn't mean to offend," I politely bow, but am only met with stoic anger.

"This is _purely_ an alliance of circumstance," he clenches a fist, his eyes narrowing, "Know that, and keep your distance."

"Well, your brother is certainly a tough one, is he not?" I turn to Smoothie, but the silver-haired amazon ignores me, " _Hmph_ ," I mutter, disappointed, " _Tough crowd_."

"- _and you're_ still _a pathetic worm!_ " I turn my attention back to King and Queen, the two finally standing before us, nearly face to face, fuming. They had clearly gone back to insulting each other.

"Yeah!?" Queen roars, but before he goes any further, I cough, drawing their attention. The All-Star strikes a pose, looking as if he was shocked, "Oh, yes. I had forgotten about that."

"Where's bird boy?" King scoffs, "I thought he was torching the cannon fodder."

"Am I not good enough, King?" I grin, but I can feel a harsh look behind that mask as he stares me down, my ten feet of height nearly equal to him.

"I'm not here for second-rate swordsmen," the All-Star slings the insult, and I nearly lunge at him. My skill with the blade was a point of pride, and it took everything to suppress my fury, "I want the best."

"I'll be your opponent, then," Katakuri steps forward valiantly, spear in hand, but King just scoffs.

"A weakling like you couldn't hold your own against me," he sneers, "But I'll gladly kill you and be done with it."

"I bet they're better than Jack in a real fight," Queen grins, his large arms rippling as he moves, "But one of them is quite beautiful," he looks at Smoothie, and Katakuri steps in front of her, always the protective brother, "But not as beautiful as my lady Komurasaki!" the All-Star squeals almost like a child, pulling a picture from within his large striped suspenders, admiring it from all sides. He then places the picture away, looking slightly embarrassed, "Pardon. However, this fight should be exciting! The amount of strong participants will certainly make for an entertaining battle!"

"That's something we agree on," King growls, but he then looks up, catching sight of something, and I feel the heat as Marco lands beside me, "Ah, yes. The bird bastard."

"How're you feeling, you flying freak?" Marco glares at him, and I take comfort in having a fellow crew member at my side, "Or rather, should I say, how's that gaping chest wound from last time treating you?"

" _Rrgh,_ " Kaido's strongest man growls, and I see Queen snickering in my peripheral.

"Queen," Marco then addresses the large and flamboyant man, nodding curtly, "I hope you're doing well."

"Oh?" Queen puts a hand to his mouth, over exaggerating his action, "I didn't realize you respected me enough to ask!"

"Yeah, well," my surrogate brother shrugs, "To be honest, despite how I like strength, you're the only one on your crew I find decent enough to be polite to."

"Then I suppose it makes this all the worse," Queen sighs, his large frame shifting.

"Oh, please," I smile, legitimately glad that _someone_ on Kaido's crew could hold a conversation, "Having the chance to fight a skilled man such as you is an amazing chance."

The All-Star returns my smile. "I do suppose you are right, 'Flower Sword' Vista."

"Enough talk," Katakuri's eyes narrow, his voice muffled by his scarf, "I didn't come here to run my mouth."

"That makes two of us," Marco frowns, and each group tenses, "What say we get this on the road?"

"Fine by me," King mutters, "I'll take everyone here and beat them to death with their spines."

 _Brutal_ , I internalize my comment, not wanting to start talking again, and I slowly shuffle to the side.

"... what are you doing?" Marco stares at me, and I shrug.

"I thought we would take this elsewhere, so the three strongest could battle between themselves?" I respond.

"Oh, but that will take away from the excitement!" Queen smiles, his large braid bouncing behind him, "We don't want that, do we?"

"Have it your way. But, it's settled," I stick out a hand, and Queen shakes it, each of us crushing the other's hand, "You have quite a firm handshake," I say, grinning my signature grin.

"Thank you," the large man replies, "I have plenty of muscles, as you can see."

 _Yes…_ somewhere in the back of my mind, I cringe, and I can see Smoothie cringe a few feet away, ' _Muscle'..._

" _Rrrgh_ ," I glance to the side, seeing King fidgeting, a look of further annoyance seen through his mask, " _ENOUGH!_ " he roars, jumping at Marco, black wings flaring, " _I am sick of this sitting around! I want to kill!_ "

"So much for courtesy!" Marco grunts as King slams into him, sending them both sprawling.

"Well," I grin, stepping back and drawing _Arashi_ and _Ochitsuita_ , "Shall we?"

Smoothie and Queen follow suit, drawing their own blades, and I see Katakuri tighten the grip on his spear, drawing back to strike, and we all look around, knowing this will be chaos. "This is your last chance at surrender," Katakuri says, but Queen simply smirks, licking his lips.

"No chance of that," his eyes narrow.

"Then let us begin," I say, " _Attack!_ "

And with that, the brawl between the strongest crewmen began.

( **Kelly: Geas** )

 _Ah, god…_ I shift in darkness, the back of my head aching like a mother, _Did I go unconscious again? Why does that happen so often?_ I open my eyes, seeing a dark, grey sky, a dense and smoky smell that made my heart race assailed my senses as the rain dampened my hair, _Let's see… what were the events that led up to this?_ I left the cave, then saw that dude and helped him out, helped Leon fight Sheepshe- _SHEEPSHEAD!_ I jerk up, mud cascading from my back. I had been buried in a shallow mound of dirt, only my head relatively uncovered. I cough, the smoky air too thick to breathe, and tear off a section of my shorts, wrapping it around my face. Glancing around me, but I see nothing but an empty clearing of shattered stumps and a massive trench of dirt ploughed from the ground. No Sheepshead, no Rhea, no Haruta. I only saw destruction, the grass shriveled up and trees burnt. _What happened?_ I wonder as I sit, my leg, chest, gut and shoulder aching. I felt a burning sensation on my face, and reaching up, my hand came away with flakes of skin. I was… sunburned? Why was I burnt?

As I stood, I strained my ears to try and hear the sounds of battle - surely Haruta and Cracker were still fighting - but I heard nothing. Only the sound of wind through the burnt husks around me. A fire had come through here, that I knew, but I didn't know how I had survived. The rain must have put it out before I woke up. I stretch out my back, the joints and ligaments crackling as I push, but a spike of pain coming from my shoulder forces me to stop. "Owowow…" I groan, clutching the crusting wound. Glancing at it, I saw bloody clumps of dirt clinging to the opening. _Where is… anyone?_ I cringe as I brush away what I could, not knowing how exactly I could clean this. Medicine was never my strong suit. I see, through the leafless and ashen trees, the beach, and decide to make my way towards it, seeing how it could help me find the others, if they were even still here. Before heading out, however, I inspected my gear, knowing anything could be out there. Fortunately, my rifle - despite being hot to the touch - had not had its internal magazine blown out by misfiring ammunition, it being empty and all, and the bullets were unharmed. My knives were in moderate condition, covered in dirt and all, but I could polish them later.

I hobble my way through the skeletons of trees, so burnt they weren't even recognizable. The winds whisper as they whisk over the crumbling ash. Charcoal crunches under my feet with each step, dust billowing up into clouds. Complete and utter nothingness. No life, no death. Only ash.

 _Crunch_.

I stop as my foot steps on something among the piles of burnt carbon, and I look down. _Hugh_ , I clutch my gut, forcing the tide of bile that was suddenly bulging up back down as I stared at the flaking and burnt corpse of another human being. I had stepped on the crumbling head, crushing it beneath my foot. " _Hu-hurgh!_ " I give in, loosing the contents of my stomach onto the dusty ground right next to the body. Stumbling back, I feel another _crack_ , and see my foot in the ribcage of another corpse. I'm frozen in shock, looking around me as I wipe the acid from my bitter mouth. They were everywhere. In the trees, among the trunks, all burnt beyond humanity. I stagger to the beach, stumbling into a tree, which crumbled at my touch, and collapse in the sand, my wounds burning.

There were more bodies here, these bloated in the sun, and I cringe as the smell of rot hits me. Hundreds, piled into massive bonfires, dot the beach. Giant chunks of biscuit creations lined the coast, decrepit and hollow, melting in the rain. The carnage closest to the water was washed away by the waves, never to see the sun again. I look out to sea, hoping for any kind of ship out there, but I only saw the lonely mast of the Mom Pirates' ship sticking out of the waves, debris all around it. The sea was empty. _I'm alone_ , I realize, slumping to the ground, _They abandoned me…_ I stare at the sand around me, pressed down as if some massive thing had stepped on it, _They…_ I slowly realize what I was kneeling on, and I try to stand up, but fall back on my ass, sifting the sand through my fingers, I look around, seeing another massive print in the sand behind me, and I scramble toward it, seeing another one on the hill. Then another in the woods. And another.

I follow the trail of massive footprints through the sand, weaving through destroyed trees and smouldering corpses, following a path I could barely see. I passed the mound of dirt I woke up in, the clearing Haruta had fought Sheepshead in, but I keep forging on, a confusion and curiosity burning in my chest, blocking out any kind of fear or thoughts of being left, and I finally make it to what appears to be a wasteland within a wasteland, and through the burnt trees on the other side, I could see the rubble of the town. I start to make my way forward, but I stop as I notice the bodies in this area aren't just burnt. They're in pieces.

All around me, bodies are strewn, some with limbs missing, some missing heads. Others had massive laceration wounds on their bodies, and some were strait-up bisected. I still had no idea what was happening, but all the bodies had that signature horn sticking out of their heads: the symbol of Kaido's crew. But everything around me was still empty, devoid of life like Pompei.

I make my way through the remaining part of the woods, the trees around me looking as if they had been pulverized or sliced in two. Clean cuts and rampaging troughs were hewn in the earth, making it difficult to move around, but I crawled through the rough terrain, making it to what remained of the town I had been living in just two days ago. If it _had_ been two days. I walk around, glancing left and right, on edge. Something didn't feel right about this whole situation to me. The way the wind whistled through the trees sounding like screams, my own footsteps sounding doubled, like someone was following me. But I knew that I was alone. _They wouldn't have left me,_ I walk through the ruins, the cogs in my head turning, but the hairs on my neck twisting, _Haruta wouldn't allow it. They would still be here if we drove Jack off, so did we lose? But then Jack would be here…_ _maybe they're all on the other side of the island_ , I conclude, _But that would mean Jack might be on the other side also…_ I rub my chin, _Or maybe I'm alone. The only good one would be the first… I should go check, just in case_ , I look around me, finally taking in the surroundings. Most of the town was destroyed, reduced to rubble by some unknown force. Shattered planks and shingles littered the ground, making a treacherous path. I remembered that I left Leon here, and I walk over to the ruins of the place. There was nothing. It was all obliterated, the whole thing burned to a crisp. Nothing was left.

 _Thwump_.

My knees strike the ground, flashes of a path crushed into a snowy plain. I feel a weight on my right shoulder, and my fingers grasp the area. They felt as if they were a phantom's. Tears swell into my eyes, _He had a family, and I let him die,_ I slam a fist into the ashen ground, _Dammit Ian! Pull yourself together-!_ However, I am snapped out of my stupor by a glinting in the shattered ruins, and I scramble over to it. Reaching down, I wrap my digits around the object, it being hot to the touch, but I hold it in the rain, and the gold plating quickly cools. Leon's revolver, so important to him, was in my hands now. I slip it into my belt after checking the ammo. They had all blown out, so the cylinder and barrel were fairly damaged, but I could buff it out with time.

Blocking the thought of death from my mind, I walk through the splinters of the former town, catching sight of swollen limbs sticking up from the muddy ground, rain causing them to sink further down. The lonely digits on the hands were all curled into what could only be a final gasp for help. Glancing around, my stomach churns as I see a similar sight: bodies were sinking into the earth. At least I didn't have to smell them. I look up, finding the entrance to the cave that everyone was in, and I make my way over to it, trudging up the solitary hill. Once I am at the top, I enter the cave, dark and dank. I had no light, so I relied only on what little was coming through the entrance.

Inside, it was gloomy, shadows dancing as I passed by. I was on edge, a feeling of dread washing over me, and an icy chill ran down my spine. The walls were too dark, and when I stumbled and caught myself on one, my hand came away with wet flakes of _something_. I wander through the dark, only able to rely on my other senses, and I decide to take a page out of the bat's book.

* _Click_ *

I make the noise, listening intently through the broken silence, devoid of all except the whistle of the wind upon the cave entrance, and the feedback reaches my ears. I couldn't describe exactly what it was, but it sounded as if something was close. Deciding to test my abilities, I take a step forward, my feet echoing off the walls. I _click_ again.

Closer. Another step. Another _click_.

Closer. Another step. A fourth _click_.

The closest yet. Another step-

 _Thunk_.

" _Gah!_ " I cry out, my hand shooting to my forehead. My yell of pain echoes, each time getting softer and softer. But the noise was swallowed up by the darkness, and my nose had picked up the scent of rot and death. _Is that blood on my hand?_ I wonder, and decide that now was the best time to leave. I turn on a dime, quickly moving back towards the dim light. It was nice to get out of the rain, but this place wasn't for me. As I emerged into the light, my eyes adjusting to the change, I glance at my hand. Red. Yep, that was definitely blood. My stomach queasy, I look to the left, seeing some semblance of life: the end of the fire. Lush green trees and dried up brown ones dotted the landscape of still-burning husks, my first indication for how long I had slept. But no movement other than the waving of the leaves and flames in the wind was had.

 _What exactly_ did _happen here?_ I wonder, a mix of curiosity and fear driving my logic, _I need to figure that out, but surviving is the first thing I should focus on,_ I scratch my chin, trying to link what I had seen. "Those footprints had to have belonged to Jack," I say aloud, my own voice sounding scratchy and foreign, "Did he fight Cracker? Cracker does have a sword, so that could explain the cutting in half…" I tap my foot, fidgeting. I had rarely been alone in this world, not since first arriving, and it felt wrong. There weren't even animals or people a mile away, yet it felt as if hundreds of eyes were watching my every move.

But I needed to get moving. I didn't have time to dwell on my position now, I had to find shelter. The cave was a no-go, seeing as how I didn't even know what was in there - and I didn't _want_ to know - so I would have to make one. That would require living trees, and those were on the other side of the island. Judging from the sun, it looked like it was late early afternoon, so I didn't have much time to make a shelter. Taking this in mind, I hurry down the hill, each step _squelch_ ing in the mud. I would have to work fast, and I thought better when I was moving anyways, so I could figure this mystery out later. My wounds stung with each movement, but I keep going. Through the splinters of a ghost town, through the blackened remains of a once-green wood, through the ash and flame. I moved finally into the lush forest that had not been touched by the flames, the air changing taste from smoke into fresh, and I take away the cloth from my mouth.

" _Haaaa_ ," I take a deep breath, the fresh oxygen rejuvenating me. Stopping for a moment, I take in my surroundings.

The forest was dense, like a thick green fog. The underbrush snaked through the trunks as if Poison Ivy from _Batman_ herself had commanded them. The thin canopy of leaves overhead allowed for sunlight and rain to reach the ground, but it was still difficult to see in the grey gleam. _I need a source of water,_ I think up a list of what I need, _Then, food and shelter,_ I gulp, my throat feeling like sandpaper, _I should get going_ , I set off in search of water, passing through the trees. The sights were peaceful, showing no sign of combat or death, but I soon stumble across a peculiar sight: a trail trampled through the undergrowth, with what appeared to be personal items scattered along. _This was probably the path the civilians took to escape,_ I deduce, _Might as well follow it. Could get lucky,_ but my gut was telling me to not go. Something wasn't right.

" _Aroooo!_ " a howl in the distance, and my heart pounds. I didn't know there were dogs out here! Another howl sounds, but I'm already gone, my feet pounding the ground back to the destroyed half of the island. I hear the brush rustling behind me, and the gnashing of teeth. My leg and shoulder ached, my only fuel the adrenaline I'd become oh-so-accustomed to in the past few days. Then, I was out.

" _Gah!_ " I cry as my foot is caught on _something_ , and I fall forward on my face, splinters biting into my skin, but I was out of the forest. Unfortunately, the smell of rot and smoke seared itself into my mind, so _that_ was pleasant, and I hear the dogs closing in. Turning, I catch a glimpse of one.

A hulking black form stared back at me, each one of its teeth yellow and stained with blood. Muscle, thick and powerful, rippled under its skin, its bright blue eyes hungrily tracking my every fidget. I scramble back from the tree line, watching as the monster paced back and forth, it's nose and ears twitching in anticipation. Soon, more joined it, stalking their prey with intent to kill. My heart beat.

One.

Two.

And they leapt from the trees, claws digging into ash as they tore towards me. I reach for my rifle, but I remember it's empty. The first, a smaller, brown one, leaps at me, and in a last-second decision, I grab the barrel and swing my weapon like a club, _crack_ ing it across the pack animal's face. It's head twisted, and it tumbled past me, limp and unbreathing.

Using my swinging momentum, I plant my hands on the ground, spinning up, and crouch as another, a white monster, dashes towards me. Mind mind went blank, and I remembered something.

" _Haaa!" I yell, throwing myself recklessly at my foe in the training room of the_ Moby _._

" _You're tensing yourself too much," Karen advises as she twists, easily evading each blow, "You're still worrying about harming me. Don't," she pushes aside my fist without a second thought, "In a fight, you can't worry about harming your opponent, no matter who it is," she suddenly stops, and my fist slams square into her jaw, and I breathe sharply, pulling back quickly. The red-haired Sergeant simply works her jaw, stretching it like she was entering an eating competition, "Good. You're getting stronger."_

 _I fret over the hit, worried she might try to get retribution. "I-I'm sorry-"_

" _No, no," she holds up her hand, "That was a fine hit. But you're using too many punches."_

" _Oh," I relax, glad I wasn't getting my ass handed to me again today, "Well, how do I-"_

Slam!

 _I cough as the Sergeant's fist buries itself in my gut, sending tendrils of force throughout my body, and I'm lifted a few inches off the ground. "Don't let your guard down when we are training," she pulls back, glaring at me, and I fall to the floor, retching, "But, this is a good time for a second lesson."_

I'm gonna puke, _I gag, my stomach churning._

" _Whenever you are facing an enemy," she crosses her arms, "Always stay vigilant. Because your enemy may give you a chance to take them down if they are being careless," she holds out a hand, and I reach for it, but I hesitate. She never did this, and it was probably a ploy to just beat me down again. So, I did the only thing I could._

"Ha!" _I yell, forcing my body to twist, and I leap up, rearing back my fist._

" _Nice try," Karen raises as eyebrow as she catches my fist with ease, brushing a strand of hair out of her eye with the other, "But at least you listened to what I said," she - surprisingly - let's go, and falls back into a ready stance, "Now, try to hit me again."_

" _Hya!"_

Thud.

" _Again!"_

"Rrrgh!"

Thud.

" _Again!"_

I snap out of the memory, dropping my rifle and ducking down as the front paws of the wolf pass over me, and I reach up, grabbing its back legs. In every attack there was a window of opportunity. " _Gah!_ " I stagger, it's weight causing my footing to slide, but I dig in with the balls of my feet, and strain my arms. The mass of the beast was immense, at least one hundred and eighty pounds, more than _I_ weighed. But Karen has drilled me, and put me through a hell of a workout routine, and I manage to reverse the wolf's momentum, slamming it back-first into the ground in front of me with a grunt of fury.

 _Crunch._ The back had broken.

Another down, even less time to think as another dog tries to nip at my ankles. I draw my blades, spinning and letting them sink into the wolf's neck, killing it instantly. I was in a frenzy, not caring about the death I was causing. In the few seconds I had before another came at me, I noticed something peculiar. Each of these wolves had large, curved horns sticking out the side of their heads, making them look like Houndoom from Pokémon.

" _Grrrrrr_ ," I hear from behind me, and I realize the final two animals had circled around me. I tense, readying for them to attack.

"Come on, come on," I mutter, and the one in front of me, a tan beast, must have heard me, because it leaps, jaws wide, " _Not today!_ " I yell, even as it tackles me to the ground. I stab into its stomach with my parrying dagger, letting it sit in the animal's gut, but it still snaps at my neck. I punch its snout, stopping it from tearing me apart, and grab the jaws head-on, "Sorry, bitch, but you aren't getting me today!" I strain, rotating the jaws sideways, until I can hear the crackling of the ligaments. Then, finally, it happens.

 _Crack._

The neck snaps, and the beast's body goes limp. For the second time in a minute, I push a wolf's body off of me. Now it was just me and the one with blue eyes, who'd been staying back the entire time, eyeing me up. As I turned to face it, in the sprinkling rain, I could see it fully.

It was gargantuan, as I had seen before, but I hadn't realized just _how_ big. The thing was as large as a small horse, looking to me to be somewhere in the realm of the two hundreds in weight, and I knew I couldn't just toss this mutt to the ground. It's horns were larger, thicker, and more curved, even circling almost the whole way around. I still didn't know what they were for, but I had a feeling that Kaido's crew was involved with it. The monster took a step forward, eyes shining ferally.

Quickly moving, I slide, taking a stripper clip from my bandolier and grabbing my rifle from the ground. But it was too close. Thinking fast, I remember that last 'training' session I had with Levi before I came here, and how I blinded him with sparks. If it would work on Levi, it would work on this wolf. I slam my Baselard against the barrel of my rifle and slide it down the length, the metal screeching. The beast was on me, mere inches away, and the sparks flew into its eyes. It lets out a cry of pain, and I slash at its shoulder. Then, I bring my rifle about as it staggers, place it right in its face, and pull the trigger. The weapon bucks, blood spurts from the dog's eye, and it flops to the ground, dead.

"Jesus…" I mutter as I look around me. I had just killed five dogs in less than two minutes. I doubt I even had to run in the first place, but this terrain made it easier to see them, at least. It made me sick to my stomach, because the last one almost reminded me of my tiny little mutt from home, if he'd grown four feet and put on two hundred pounds. But the fact that these dogs were probably from Kaido's crew made me realize something: we must have lost. Finally, the veil of confusion and hope dissipated, and I finally let the truth sink in.

You know, it's funny. I didn't feel bitter, because there had to have been a good reason, especially since everything around me was burnt to a crisp when I woke up, but one question dominated my mind as I pulled my daggers from the belly of the fourth wolf. _Why_ was _I_ abandoned? What had happened that made us lose? When would they be back?

Would they be back?

 **Hey, everyone! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! The first year anniversary is a month away, so I'm pretty damn excited for that! Don't have much else to say, so see you next time!**


	28. Chapter 28: The Fall of Royalty

Chapter 28

 **AN: So, I've been thinking for awhile. Given how One Piece is still moving on, and the characters I'm using are still vulnerable to change, there may be changes in the parts with characters like King, Queen, and Jack. If changes do happen in the future, then I will do my best to change the chapters to fit these changes or fit them into the future chapters. All that aside, let's go!**

Chapter 28

-( **Thatch** )-

We were onboard the ship of the Fourth Division, the _Humpback_ , a large grey ship capable of carrying over one hundred men, but the hold was now carrying the civilians of Geas. I was sitting in the Captain's quarters, a spacious, minimalized room that held the trophies of the past. The gleaming blade of a Wanoan Samurai stared at me from the wall, the knightly helmet beside it polished and shining like a mahogany desk. A large flag bursting in color like an oversaturated photo hung, and the newest addition, a shattered deep diver helmet covered in rust, sat on a pedestal in the back, right in front of a vast window that let sunlight flood in. Mocking me as I sat in my chair, contemplating about whether or not what I did was the right choice. A reminder of my past failures to protect my crew.

 _Smack!_

" _I can't believe you!_ " an agitated brunette swordsman clad in shakespearean attire screams as he strains against his chair constraints, " _You left him there!_ "

"Haruta, calm down," a brunette nurse clad in khakis and a green tank-top.

" _Let me go!_ " my student screams, " _We have to go back!_ "

" _Thatch!_ " Maria yells as she tries to keep Haruta in one place, but I keep staring at the floor, unresponsive, "Why did you leave him!?"

 _Leave him,_ I think, zoning out. Those two words had been ingrained in my mind for what seemed like years, but it was only hours. Those words _I_ had uttered, both to protect the town I was sent to save and the only ship we had to escape. It wasn't what Pops would do, but I wasn't Pops. I could fight an army alone if I tried, but one backed by my counterpart from Kaido's crew? I'd rather not take those odds. So I had to make a plan to save the youngest member of my Division, and I was executing it. I hoped the bribe worked.

 _Boom!_

I flinch as a shell explodes right outside the back window, water pattering on the thick glass. Those shots were too close. Jack had been chasing us since Geas, even into the open sea. I would have called in help from one of our allied crews that was nearby, but the _Humpback_ had had its transponder snail K. by a concussion via cannonball that landed a bit too close. So we were on our own.

" _Thatch!_ " Maria urges, " _Answer me!_ "

" **Be quiet,** " I order, placing all the authority I had into my voice, and everyone immediately shuts up, and I raise my head, looking around. It was a skeleton crew. Stuffed into the Captain's quarters were what remained of our crew from the island and those I'd brought along, a motley group comprised of an injured Dexter wrapped up like a bandage mummy courtesy of Maria, a practically rabid Haruta, a Maria struggling to keep the previously mentioned kid in constraints, a crippled Atlas, an irritated Karen, the always-happy Johnson, a frowning Raver, who volunteered to come along, claiming he was fine, and me. My, surprisingly docile, counterpart from the Mom Pirates stood near the door, his large sword strapped to his back, "Thank you," I say, standing up. I wasn't feeling in the mood for jokes, and I made sure everyone else knew it. To all who could see me, I stared them in the eye, sending a commanding message: I was in charge, "Do you trust me?," I ask, drawing _Toonkigō_ , my blade - I wanted to call it _Gatsby_ , but the old man that gave it to me refused to give it unless I kept the name - and look it over. The minute etchings of roses that Vista insisted I had put in the base of the blade were emboldened in the light streaming in from the windows, "I'm no Pops. I'm no Marco or Jozu," I walk around to each of the group, "But I have a plan."

"I've been meaning to ask about that," Dexter pipes up, "This ship isn't going as fast as it can be. I'm guessing there's a reason for that?"

"I left Kelly because we had no choice," I continue, "But, I know from past experience that Jack tends to occupy the Islands he takes, unless there is a reason to leave. We are currently that reason."

"So, from what I am hearing, you're risking this ship for one lousy underling?" Cracker sneers, "Seems flawed to me."

" _Don't_ forget, Cracker," I am suddenly standing in front of him, my blade an inch from his throat, "You are a _guest_ on this ship because I _let you_ be a guest. Don't push your luck."

The Sweet Commander pushes the tip of the saber aside. "You wanna test my luck?" he reaches back and grabs the hilt of his claymore, "Try me."

"You're outnumbered here."

"I can even those numbers easy enough with my fruit."

"I'll slice through your bread like butter."

"Then try it."

Maria cuts between the both of us. "If either of you do anything, it could destroy the ship, which means we all lose," I stand down, and Cracker follows suit, "Thank you. Now, continue, Thatch."

"Thank you, Maria," I sigh, "As I was saying, we are the bait for Jack to draw him away from Geas, where I hope Kelly is still alive."

"How do you know that he's still alive?" Raver - the dark-skinned Cheetah-Zoan - says, his thick Alabastian accent putting some zest into his words, "Last time we left, the island was in flames."

"I don't. I tried to help him as much as I could, but as you know we left," I answer, brushing a hand through my pompadour, "But, we can double back once Jack is taken out of the equation."

"And how do you propose you do that?" Karen asks, obviously skeptical, "Walk out there with some legendary blade and face down the entire fleet?"

"I mean," I scratch my chin, "Yeah, that was kind of my plan, but mainly as a distraction for the real plan."

"And that is?" Wash asks, fidgeting in his bandages.

"I have a guy in the ship," I say, "He agreed to work on Jack's ship to hijack it, and then come back-"

"Come _back!?_ " Haruta yells, obviously figuring out who it was, " _You're kidding!_ _He_ is _not_ your contact!"

"Yep," I scratch my neck, cheeks heating up, "He is."

"I can't believe this," Karen clenches a fist, the chains of her fundo wrapped around her arms, "First, you abandon someone you're meant to protect, _then_ you sell us out to Kaido by trusting a spy without even discussing it with the rest of us!?"

"It's the only choice I have to even have a _chance_ of everyone making it out alive!" I shoot back, standing my ground. She knew that she couldn't sway me, but I could tell this was a battle of principle, not power.

" _Not everyone makes it out alive!_ " she roars, her green eyes wild in a fervor I hadn't seen before. It was even more uncontrolled than her previous outbursts, and it was driven by something deeper than irritation. But what was it?

" _Karen!_ " Dexter grabs her arm as she surges forward, "You're getting too out of check!"

"Get off me, traitor!" the redhead spins, slamming her fist into Dex's jaw with a meaty _crunch_ , sending him sprawling, "Your opinion means nothing to me! You-"

" _That's enough_ ," the vixen stops as two fingers place themselves against her head, "We don't attack crewmates, _period_."

Karen clenches her jaw, her small chest still heaving in ill-concealed anger. "Who are you to criticize me, you damn pussy ca-"

" _Speeding Finger Pistol,_ " Raver mutters, and his dark tan hand blurs, striking her skull. She crumples to the ground without a fight, and I let the hand I didn't know was on my Saber's hilt fall to the side, "Go on, Thatch."

"Thank you, peacekeeper," I nod to the Lieutenant, who was helping the mummified Dex up.

"It _was_ my job," Raver replies, "But I also used to gather information. And it would be good for you to know that Levi's past isn't the cleanest slate when it comes to stabbing backs. Watch yours."

"Noted," I smirk, putting the bravado back on in full force, "Anywho, let's-" I stop as a massive wave of pressure presses against my mind, my mouth tasting like copper and iron. All the alarms in my head were going off at once.

"I felt it too," Atlas, the old veteran, frowns. He looked uneasy.

"I almost heard it," Raver winces.

"I _tasted_ that," Dexter puts in his two cents.

"Ah han't thmell," Johnson rubs his tongue, an unpleasant grimace on his face. Something for me to know he was at least still here. I didn't trust that guy to be alone for even a minute, he always seemed to break whatever he found.

"Maria," I say, and she rolls her eyes, going over to Johnson and taking care of him. If I'm being honest, I trusted her more than Haruta, what with the kid's constant aggressive tactics. I just wished she would trust me back, "So, Atlas, what do you think that was?" I ask the older, more experienced man.

"I think Kaido is making his move," Atlas clenches a fist, "May whatever is up top help us."

-( **Vista: Unknown Island** )-

" _Chrysanthemum Foxtrot!_ " I yell, gracefully ducking underneath a curved blade, slashing in an X at the Haki-black stomach of Queen, yellow petals digging into his fat. My old techniques had been perfected by months of arduous practice after my embarrassing defeat at the hands of that Beast back on Fishman Island, and they were all as powerful as my famous Rose Round Dance.

" _Gah!_ " my large foe stumbles back, regaining his footing a moment later, only for the gargantuan Charlotte Smoothie to slam into him with he shoulder, knocking him down to the scorched ground.

" _Haaah!_ " she raises her blade, about to-

 _Boom._

The ground shakes and crumbles as a massive seismic shock shook the battlefield, the earth beneath my feet splitting, and I leap aside. These had been increasing in strength recently, likely Pops trying to end his fight with Big Mom before Kaido decided to join in, but it was disrupting my own fight. Looking around, my eyes widen as I realize I was on the wrong side of the ravine. _Oh, dear_ , I think, and I quickly decide to leap it using the _Shave_ technique Thatch's Lieutenant Raver had so kindly taught me. I rear back, preparing to move, and dash as fast as my limbs can carry me, pushing off of the cliff with such power that it would put a majestic dolphin to shame.

" _Out of my way, Vista!_ " I hear as the back of my head itches, warning me of an attack, and a glowing yellow and blue streak buffets past me, a darker form quickly pursuing. I was thrown off-balance.

" _Hnn!_ " I tumble as I strike the other side of the crack in the earth, such an uncouth landing, but I quickly push myself up, my white shirt stained grey with dirt and dust. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash as two blades bear down on me, and my instinctual Haki alerts me. Thinking fast, I throw up my arm, not having time to block with my blades, and focus my willpower as much as possible, turning it black.

"Clever move," Queen grins, his moustache flopping around with his movement as his twin blades bite into my arm, sinking half an inch into the flesh, causing blood to leak out.

"Th- _thank_ you," I grunt, pushing back his attack and swiping my own blades at him, which he deftly jumps away from, "I attempt to do battle as skilled as I possibly can."

"Then let us duel, my wayward foe," Queen grins, his goggles flashing, and he lunges.

Sparks fly as our blades clash, striking back and forth with a precision I had rarely seen with those lesser crews that challenged us. "Your speed and skill with the blade is impressive."

"Yes," Queen smiles back, each of us locking our eyes despite the flurry of blades too fast for the human eye, our Haki guiding each strike, "But I would be faster if it wasn't for me voluntarily being this large."

"Either way, you are a refreshing fight. I wish this had occurred earlier so I could further study your form," I clench my jaw as his blade slips through, cutting off a part of my handlebar moustache. Moments later, my own lighter _Arashi_ slips through, cutting off a part of his fu manchu, and we both jump back.

"Impressive," he comments, "You use a heavier blade in one hand and a lighter blade in the other. I would mock you, but your technique is impeccably good. I assume you use your lighter blade for your faster strikes and the heavier for strong sweeps?"

"You would be correct, and I must compliment you back," I grip the handles harder, "Your own technique is difficult to master. You guard such a large area with such short blades for your size so it is a testament to your speed and mastery of such a technique."

"Thank you, but was that a shot at my width?"

"Oh, no," I smirk, "Nothing so rude. Now, are we going to stand here talking like civil people, or are we going to duel like pirates?"

" _Hmm,_ " Queen strokes his chin - it wasn't truly that, but saying he had none would be rude - and sheathes one of his blades, "I have a proposal~. I like to get as much enjoyment out of battles as I can, so I say we fence, to make it _interesting_ ," he sings.

"That sounds… fun," I say, the word having little meaning to me on the battlefield, and it felt foreign to say it here. But I sheathe _Ochitsuita_ nonetheless. I would need speed now, "Dare I say it, _en garde?_ "

"Oh, this will be entertaining," Queen holds out his blade with one hand, his cigar almost just a stub at this point, "Granted, I have never fenced before, given my crew's disposition, but _I am open to new experiences_ ," he takes a knee, proclaiming it to the heavens like he was an actor.

"Well, let it never be said that I am not a fair man," I grin, "If you wished, I could teach you the basics? It would be rude not to."

" _Muhahaha!_ Oh, no," Queen laughs, but not quite mockingly, "It would be more fun if I learned as I went. Like a character in a tragedy adjusting to his newly destroyed life!"

"An interesting simile," I take a breath, preparing myself, "But a breath of fresh air, nonetheless."

"Then shall we?" Queen goes into an over exaggerated fencing stance, crouching with his small legs, holding his blade in front and his free hand above his head.

"We shall," I nod, and with that, I lunge forward.

Immediately, my thrust is pushed aside by his own saber, and he counterattacks. Stepping back, I move my blade like lightning, pulling back and deflecting this strike. I decide to test the waters, sweeping at his lower self, but his blade meets mine, stopping it in its tracks, the vibrations slightly numbing my arm.

"You learn quickly," I compliment him as I jump back.

"I thought we were dueling like pirates, not talking like civil people, _muhaha_ ," Queen chuckles, and I grin, narrowing my eyes in anticipation.

"Yes, but what would be a fencing duel without an air of aristocracy?" I ask, and the All-Star smiles back.

"Well, then what are you waiting for?" he stands on one leg, pulling his arms so it appears he is holding reigns, and sticking his other knee out, "I'm _plagued_ with excitement!"

"Then I will strike," I nod.

I lunge forward once more, but instead of stabbing forward, I sweep up from below. Unfortunately, my blow is blocked, but I quickly recover, pulling back and stabbing dozens of times in a second. Young Haruta uses this often, but under the moniker of _Tempest_.

Queen is taken aback by the unexpectedly quick move, and retreats, shuffling back with unease. Pressing my advantage, I unleash a flurry of stabs and slashes, but with each strike he blocked, he became faster, more comfortable, clearly improving as he saw more and more of my skill. We soon fell into a rhythm, each strike and parry making beautiful beats like a smith's hammer. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. This went on for a short while, me pushing him back, but a _thud_ not so far away caught my attention, and I break off, glancing towards the sound.

" _Rrgh!_ " King growls as he is knocked out of the sky, a flaming pteranodon covered in leather crashing to the ground.

" _Phoenix Fire!_ " I hear my brother yell, and a moment later, I look away as a bright stream of blue flame splashes over his foe, scorching the earth around him, "Katakuri, now!" Marco yells, and a stream of mochi slams into King's side, sending him sprawling.

" _Muhahaha!_ " I hear Queen laugh, and I turn to see him doubled over, teetering this way and that, "King, you look like a fool!"

 _Crack!_

The back of my skull buzzes, the attack coming from under me, and I jump back as Charlotte Smoothie bursts from the dirt, a look of irritation marring her features. " _Queen,_ " she calmly turns, swiveling her head, "I will enjoy sucking the life from your body."

" _Oh my!_ " the All-Star puts a hand to his mouth excitedly, "Just like all the beautiful girls in Wano!"

" _Hrnn,_ " Smoothie's jaw clenches, and she begins to swing wide, forcing even me to have to jump back.

"So uncouth!" I comment as I leap back, narrowly avoiding the life-draining blade of my should-be ally.

"You will not take me, elegant giant!" Queen puts a hand to his forehead, "For my handsome face is not meant for you, but for another!"

"You threw me into a ravine," Smoothie glares at him, "You will die a merciless death."

 _That's where she was…_ I think, but I keep it to myself.

"It is not my fault! You _fell_ in!" Queen spits back, yanking out his second blade and locking both together, blocking Smoothie's strike.

"You grabbed my chest and then shoved me!" Smoothie replies, and I freeze, my eye twitching.

"Is it so wrong to enjoy beautiful women?" Queen asks, "The girls in Wano don't mind if I do that!"

 _What?_ my grip tightens on _Arashi_ , and I reach for _Ochitsuita_ , drawing it with the singing of steel, and I take a step forward, my grin disappearing into a stern line. "You _bastard_ ," I say aloud, any mirth in my tone gone, and both Smoothie and Queen look to me.

"Pardon?" the All-Star asks.

"I had thought you to be a diamond in the rough," I take another step, "A man among beasts. Someone I could relate to, as the only reasonable voice among hooligans."

"Am I not?" he cocks his head to the side, curious at my anger.

"No. You are despicable," I glare at him from under my top hat, my sweat soaking into my cotton shirt, "I had thought your obsession with women to be one wrought from admiration and respect, but now I know that is a lie."

"Oh, come now," Queen tries to diffuse me, "I can let into my urges once in a while, can't I?"

" _NO!_ " I yell, a burning flame sparking to life in my chest, "A man must never give in to his natural urges, no matter what! He must always treat everyone with respect, no matter their place, gender, or race. He must be a beacon of civilization, honesty and courtesy to all those around him. He must _never_ force discomfort and pain onto others, and never put himself above others! And if he does admire someone greatly, he must treat them as more than equal."

Queen looks befuddled. "That is very-?"

"You are a womanizer and a liar," I stop him, adamant in my new position, "You treat women and your own crew with utter disrespect, and you are no diamond in the rough." I step forward, standing next to Smoothie, "Now you will taste my righteous fury."

"I don't need anyone to fight for me," she tells me, "Your 'righteous fury' is wasted."

"I do not pursue him for your sake," I shake my head, "I do this because I cannot call myself a true gentleman if I do not stand with my ideals."

"Hmm," the amazon frowns, "Well, I suggest we take him together. That maximises our chances of victory."

"Agreed," I nod, "We must take this foe out with the utmost speed. I fear we may have a more difficult battle ahead. But we have righteous intent on our side."

"Get off your high horse, you dastardly Whitebeard," Queen becomes hostile, obviously irked by my insult of his being, "You think you can beat me just because you think I'm rotten? Well, if I am so bad, then let god strike me down where I stand, I believe the saying goes?"

 _Boom!_

The ground shakes beneath us, another clash between Pops and Big Mom, and a plume of magma bursts just thirty feet away, the heat washing over me in waves, but I create a weak Haki barrier to deal with it. "If so, then I am his terrible, swift sword," I cross my blades in front of me, and leap forward, Smoothie quickly following behind.

" _Let's test that, shall we!?_ " Queen roars, bursting forward with surprising ferocity, and his blades slam into mine with the painful scream of straining steel.

" _Hah!_ " Smoothie slides in, slashing at Queen's arm, and she nicks him as he steps back, her blade bulging as it absorbs the liquid from Queen's body.

" _Ah,_ " the All-Star winces, "I can see what you meant by 'suck me dry'."

"That tool could prove invaluable, Ms. Smoothie," I grin, "How about we adjust our strategy? I can disarm him, and then you can take him out of the fight when he is defenseless?"

"Yes, it seems efficient," she nods, holding the large longsword at the ready.

"I can hear you!" Queen surges forward, and the back of my skull buzzes once more, alerting me to his attack, "Die!" he bears down on me, using one blade, and I move mine up, locking them with his. But Queen's free blade swept low after the fact, and I was helpless as it cut towards my chest.

"Get away from him," Smoothie orders, kicking him back with her long legs, and he is forced away, his attack barely missing me.

"Thank you," I huff, my heart pounding, "I was careless."

"If you die, we lose our most effective option," the Sweet Commander notes, and I nod, "Don't let it happen again."

"You damn cheaters," Queen grits his teeth, "There's two of you and one of me! How is that fair!?"

"I thought the number of combatants was what made a battle exciting?" I question, and Queen bites his tongue, "All is fair in war."

"Not 'love and war'?" Smoothie questions me, and I chuckle.

" _Tsohoho,_ love is _not_ something I am concerned with," I ready my blades once more, "But I believe this fight is coming to an end."

"As if, Whitebeard," Queen frowns, his cocky smile becoming an angry scowl, "This has only just begun. _Hah!_ "

"Here he comes!" Smoothie jumps back, and I plant myself, readying to take my large foe head-on.

 _Skring!_

Our blades meet once more, and he immediately bursts into a flurry of attacks meant to break through my defense, but my experience in moving my long sabers saves me. Each blow I parry and deflect with all the speed and technique I have developed through the years, sparks flying everywhere. An overhead strike bores down on me, a break in the uncontrolled fury, but I easily snake around him despite my size, dodging the blow.

" _Eustoma Errenzhuan!_ " I yell, spinning, my feet dancing around Queen's larger form. At the apex, I bring my blades back, preparing to slash, and use the momentum of the end to follow through, essentially ending what Thatch would likely call a 'spinning dodge attack'. My weapons tore through the weak Haki barrier he likely put up as a last-ditch attempt to block, small, light pink petals swirling around my blades. However, I was not done, " _Desert Rose Dabke!_ " I yell, bringing my blades above my head, and bringing them down. Unfortunately, the attack was blocked, but the bold pink and white petals that came forth dug themselves into Queen's arms.

" _Ah!_ " the All-Star cries, dropping his blades in surprise. I had won.

" _Smoothie, now!_ " I yell, stepping back, and the Sweet Commander jumps in, slashing at Queen's front. Our foe turns black with Haki, but the amazon's blade still cuts into him, taking away enough liquid to stumble him. Then, she circles around him like a predator, and leaps. She lands, stabbing her blade into his side, and turns him around. She then wraps her arm around his neck, and begins to squeeze.

 _Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!_

 _Four this time?_ I spin towards Father's position, and a cold chill runs down my spine as I see a wall of dust and fire tearing towards us, shredding the ground beneath it. Massive boulders rolled and tumbled inside the storm, and I feared they may crush us. "Watch out!" I warn my ally, and she nods, pulling out her blade and leaping away. It was almost upon us. The ground ruptures and splits as the raw force equal to ten thousand cannonballs rushes over us, tearing entire boulders from the ground. I stab _Arashi_ and _Ochitsuita_ into the ground, bracing myself for the wall of dust and rock. Then, it arrives.

The storm washes over me, the raw force nearly tearing me off my feet in an instant. I only stay anchored due to my trusted blades. " _Gah!_ " I grit my teeth as a rock strikes my head, whatever noise I make whipped away with the howling wind. Squinting, I catch sight of massive shapes hurtling past me in the dust, but am forced to close my eyes as dozens of tiny stones pelt me. It was as if a tidal wave of earth was trying to slay me, " _Smoothie?_ " I ask, grit flooding into my mouth, grinding against my teeth. My words went unanswered, however, and I could not see her. I hoped she was in a better situation that I.

 _Crack_.

I glance to the side just in time to see a massive stone fly off into the flood, and I gulp nervously. These stones were inanimate, and therefore did not follow the laws of Haki. I had no idea what was barreling towards me through the darkness. Instead, I decide to focus my willpower into a shield, and I feel no longer the small pebbles shredding against my skin. I open my eyes, now able to with my Haki, and look around for my ally - or my enemy. I could not see far, maybe five feet, and my Armament could only protect me from the smaller, shredding stones. The wind was still strong, and I was still at risk against the boulders I had seen earlier. However, Observation Haki was not useless in my situation. I could use it to search for my foes and allies, making sure that at least they did not catch me by surprise. Reaching out with my instincts, I search for whatever presence the others may give, and feel two, very close together. It was time to-

 _Crunch._

A loud sound, one of stone crashing into the ground, catches my attention, and I lose the presences.

 _CRUNCH._

There it was again. Closer, as if it was… _Oh, no,_ my eyes widen, and I pull _Ochitsuita_ , my heavier blade, from the ground. I would have to stand.

 _ **CRUNCH**_ **.**

A massive form, a boulder torn from the earth, loomed through the storm, headed straight for me. The massive object was twice as large as Jozu, and likely just as hardheaded. If I had any hope of keeping where I was, I had to cut it in half. I could do this. I rear back, focusing all the willpower I could spare into this one strike. " _Single Strike-!_ " I bellow defiantly into the storm, " _Astilbe Ja-_ _Ngh!_ " I grunt as the large object rushes out of the dust, slamming into me and taking me with it. _Hrnnn!_ If it wasn't for my Haki, I would have been crushed on the first revolution, _Damnit!_

" _Phoenix Flame!_ " I hear over the rushing winds, and the boulder is blasted apart as intense heat strikes it, and I begin to tumble, clutching desperately to my swords, as if I lost them, I would likely never see them again, "I got you, Vista!" I feel a tug on the back of my shirt, and I am lifted up, out of the dust cloud, and I sit there, stunned, as my brother Marco looks down at me, "You okay?"

"I…" I manage to say, completely cowed. I was still processing what was going on.

" _Phoenix!_ " I hear behind us, and I spin as Marco does, only to catch sight of a leather-bound pteranodon barreling toward us, "I have you now!"

Instantly, a massive white pillar slams into him from the dust storm below, and connected to that pillar was one Charlotte Katakuri, rising on legs extended as if he was a Logia. Standing on a platform made from his other arm, a scraped and battered Smoothie stood. " _No,_ " the first mate says, his large scarf fluttering in the wind, "I don't like stacking the odds against you, but I am not inclined to watch my allies die defenseless. They entrust their lives to me, and I will not let them down."

" _You damn_ …" King squawks, flapping his wings furiously to keep afloat, "I'll kill you all by myself!"

"We aren't defenseless," Marco ignores our enemy, instead turning to Katakuri, "I can take care of myself."

"My point still stands," the Mochi-man sticks his arm into his chest, which turns into a white and viscous material. From it, he pulls out a long, shining trident, "I won't abandon my allies."

"You will all die!" King screeches, but the massive flaming bird above me just scoffs.

"The skies are mine, King," Marco replies, "And even with this big lug on me, you're still above your paygrade."

"I'm no Jozu, Marco," I grin, looking down at the storm below. It was stopping, the worst of it already having gone through. But the landscape was completely obliterated. Massive chunks of stone were embedded in the ground, small streams of magma boiling up from underneath to form large hazards. These spring seeped between the large stones, creating islands in a sea of fire, "But you can set me down now, to focus on your own foe."

"Noted," Marco dives down, dropping me around twenty feet off the ground, and I land on top of one massive stone, both blades in hand.

 _Pop! Hisssss…_

I wince as magma bubbles up next to me, bursting and splashing the stone with red-hot liquid. Since it was above ground, it is technically lava, but they were all the same to me. But I didn't have time to think on semantics. I had royalty to slay. "Queen…" I hum, closing my eyes and focusing on the area around me, the tendrils of my mind searching, "Where are you?"

 _Tump_ / _Shing!_

I spin on a dime, opening my eyes and readying my blades as something strikes the rock behind me. "This was not the way I imagined you would greet me," Smoothie says, standing tall.

"Yes, well," I sheathe my blades, "It is best to be on my guard at all times."

"Agreed," the Sweet Commander nods.

"Well, I will simply do what I was doing before," I clasp my hands together, "Time to find Queen," I close my eyes once more, focusing through the sound of bubbling lava all around me, through the heat of the terrain, and searching for the disgrace of a man that I called my foe.

"What will happen, I wonder?" Smoothie suddenly speaks up, and it breaks my concentration.

"Whatever do you mean?" I say, gazing out at the collection of rocks in a sea of flame that made up the remains of the battlefield.

"After we defeat Kaido," the silver-haired lady continues, "It is unlikely that mother will simply allow you all to leave. It is likely that in her enraged state she still doesn't realize that Kaido has been playing us all for fools."

" _Hmm,_ " I glance down, knowing that she was right, "And she would not believe anything Father says…"

"We would have to follow what Mother says," Smoothie's tone falls, and I know she is correct. Somewhere, deep down, I feel saddened by this.

"We would likely have to turn against each other," I sigh, knowing the end result.

"Yes," she sits down next to me, her long legs draped over the side of the rock, "I feel pity for you."

" _Oh?_ " I glance over at her, the sea of fire casting a faint orange glow on the both of us, "And why is that?"

"You would be doomed to be killed by me," she smiles, even for the faintest of moments, and I feel a spark of youth again, remembering the good times I had with my family. Fooling around with Thatch, wrestling with Jozu, playing chess with Father. Even helping Marco develop his Fruit abilities after he ate it.

" _Tsohoho_ ," I laugh, "Not if I have a say in things," I gaze into the hellfire around me, allowing myself to be swept into it, entranced by it, and I begin to remember a time before all this, before even joining the crew. I knew not what direction my thoughts would take me, but I could not help but focus on how Queen treated women. It was despicable, and the fires around me caused my heart to pound. There was something too familiar in this. My content grin quickly contorted into a frown as a faint memory corrupts the moment, and I freeze. The flames. Those all-consuming flames that burned away, and the demons among them, slaying the innocent.

"Commander Vista," I feel a tap on my arm, "Are you okay?"

"I…" I blink, snapped out of my trance, and I find myself covered in a cold sweat. I quickly recompose myself, pushing the memory to the back of my mind, "Yes, I am doing fine, thank you," Smoothie looked unconvinced, but she let it go.

"What did I just stumble into?" Queen's flamboyant voice sounds out behind us, "It is like a scene from _Romeo and Juliet!_ Two members of different families converging under the spark of love."

" _Ugh_ ," the Sweet Commander next to me stands, turning, and I follow suit, "Queen, we meet again."

"You look worse for wear," I say, drawing my blades once more, and it was true. His skin was raw, likely because his own crewmate hadn't pulled him out of the dust storm, and his clothes were shredded and burnt, his feet completely bare and black with Haki as if he had waded through the lake of fire. His goggles were scratched from exposure, and his bald head has several lumps where large rocks likely struck him, and he was panting from exhaustion, "Enjoy your bath?"

" _Hrnnn…_ " the All-Star visibly grits his teeth, "I'm done talking."

" _For once,_ " I hear Smoothie say under her breath.

"That's a first for you, Queen," I raise an eyebrow mockingly, "You seemed to enjoy talking when we dueled earlier. Surely you see the benefit of a nice conversation."

"Oh, zip it, Vista," Queen scowls, and he holds up his empty fists, "I lost my blades because of you."

"It is not my fault that you can't keep hold of your weapons," I snicker.

" _Rrgh,_ " our foe tenses, his entire body shaking, " _You'll pay for this!_ " he leaps at me, fist reared back, but I focus, trying to see what path he would take. I had it.

I lean my head right, his fist just barely grazing my moustache, and I punch his gut with the extended guard on my sabers, sending him staggering back. " _Ah!_ " the All-Star cries as Smoothie runs her blade across his back, draining his life-blood, and he falls to his hands and knees. He was far too weak to actually fight properly, and I would have to thank Father later for weakening him for me.

"You're already been beaten, Queen," I say, his pathetic look cooling my distaste for him, "You know it, and I know it. Give up."

"And have the Captain kill me?" the All-Star glares up at me defiantly, "I'd rather be killed here."

"That can be arranged," Smoothie strides over to him, lashing out with her long legs, kicking his head. He is thrown back, all the way to the edge of the rock, and the Sweet Commander follows, kneeling and putting her hands to his neck, squeezing it. It was brutal, and I turn away in disturbance as she begins to twist it, and liquid pours out. But something didn't feel right. My Observation Haki was buzzing through my skull like an annoying fly, and I begin to search around, glancing back at Smoothie and the dying All-Star, hanging over the pool of magma.

 _There!_ My eyes widen as I see a hidden knife covered in a clear liquid pop out from Queen's pants, and the All-Star jerks his arm back. Smoothie's eyes widen, one of her arms moving to block the strike, but it was of no use. " _No!_ " I yell, bringing my blades back up, but I could only watch as the third strongest Beast Pirate plunged the blade into Smoothie's side with his left hand, and she jumps back, doubling over, " _Rrgh!_ " I growl, letting my anger at such a backhanded move get the better of me, and I bring about my blades, " _Rose Round Dance!_ " I bellow, slashing, and a stream of red petals sweeps through the air.

" _ARGH!_ " Queen roars as the petals strike his unprotected shoulder, a plume of lava bubbling up right next to him. Not a moment later, he clutched at the stump that used to be his arm, the wound charred and black from the intense heat of the lava. He soon fell unconscious, likely from the shock and weakness of his former injuries.

 _Damn my foolish mind!_ I lament as I rush over to my fallen ally, _I let my guard down!_ "Are you okay?" I ask her as I fall to one knee, sheathing my blades.

"I'm fine," Smoothie replies as she slides out the tiny blade, "It was poisoned, though."

" _Poisoned!?_ " I begin to fret, "We need to treat it!"

"Don't bother," the amazonian Sweet Commander holds up a hand, "I can take care of it," Then, she grabs her arm, and begins to twist. At first, nothing happened, but the skin soon began to warp, twisting like a towel, and soon, the clear liquid began to fall onto the ground, hissing as it struck.

"How…?" I asked, curious.

"My fruit allows me to squeeze liquids from objects and people, as you well know," she replies, "But I have learned that I can expel dangerous toxins by juicing myself. It is useful."

"Amazing…" I mutter.

 _Thud_.

I leap up, drawing my sabers as I hear a sound behind me, but relax as I see a prehistoric winged reptile wearing leather trapped in a dry Mochi cocoon, lying on the large rock.

" _Damn… bastards…!_ " King thrashes about in his sweet prison, and I look up as a stream of jellybeans travelling as fast as bullets pelt him in the forehead, knocking him out and returning him to his human form.

"Nice shot," I nod at Katakuri, and the second-in-command of the Big Mom Pirates nods back, his billowing scarf enveloping all but his scarlet hair as he steps onto the rock.

"You aren't so bad yourself," he points his trident at the unconscious form of Queen, "Quite the bloody mess he's in."

"Yes," I frown, "I prefer not to inhibit fellow swordsmen, but I suppose I can make an exception this time."

"So, what now?" Marco asks, alighting next to me, "Does Kaido show up, or what?"

I glance toward the large fleet of our foes, my Haki ringing like a bell. "I believe he is already coming," Marco looks to where Kaido is, but turns around as a pulse of pressure and force emanates from behind us.

 _Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!_

I spin as a massive series of explosions sound, and a moment later, rocks and dust shower us as the unmistakable Haki of our Father bursting through the mountains that separate us, the lava and rocks around us bubbling and bursting with each blow.

" _ **NEWGATE!**_ " I hear Kaido's enraged bellow, and the ground shakes even more, " _ **FACE ME!**_ " I look to the sound, and through the heat, I see a massive hulk of a man, with massive, elephant-like tusks jutting from long dreadlocks, and a scale-like tattoo etched into his left arm. His massive upper body put my own large upper-body to shame, and his own form was encased in shadow as the smoke from the battlefield blocked out the sun. The light came from below as he waded through lava, creating tidal waves in the viscous fluid. He was larger than Father.

" _ **KAIDO!**_ " Father responds, and all four of us look to him, his own massive form crashing through the boulders in his way. His tricorn hat was gone, his large bandanna wrapped around his head, and his admiral's coat fluttered in the wind. He was covered in scratches and wounds, but I knew that nothing would stop him, " _ **YOU ATTACK MY CREW, MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, KILLING EVEN THE INNOCENT FAMILIES!**_ " he roars back, his voice booming over the barren plain, " _ **YOU WILL PAY!**_ " I fall to one knee as a blast of Conqueror's Haki envelops me, pressuring my brain, and I feel the very air shake as a white vortex forms around the end of his glaive as it sweeps through the air, clearing the clouds above, and sunlight envelops him. And there they were, two of the most powerful men in the world, the Beast and the Pirate, one in light and one in shadow and fire, ready to kill.

This would decide who was truly the strongest.

-( **Kelly: Geas** )-

" _Hapthooie!_ " I sneeze out of nowhere, dropping the pile of wood that I had gathered. It had started to become increasingly cold, without trees to block the wind, and I quickly began to build a shelter deeper into the woods, were the ground was still soft enough. The wood near the edge of the forest had dried out wood, so I went here to get strips and the like, "Geez, it went to hell fast," I say aloud, knowing no one could hear me, "Well, _more_ hell, considering the place I'm in…" I mutter, looking at the wasteland behind me. I was thinking about setting traps, but I still didn't know where to put them.

I had been feeling tremors lately, each one becoming more intense, and I was worried that the dormant volcano that made up the center of the island was going to erupt, but it had yet to make a move. _Ugh,_ I groan, exhausted, and I pick up the wood off the ground. Striding into the forest, I make my way to a small clearing, where a small shack was sticking out of the ground. It was simple enough, built around a large tree, with logs from small trees acting as the walls, with planks and twigs stuck into greaves I made in the center tree, and wedged underneath the upper logs. A rough door was formed from the wall, and since there wasn't direct support, I just stacked twigs over the hole. It wasn't super fancy, but I managed to make it in half a day, so don't judge me.

 _Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!_

I spin my head as three quakes shake the island, and I feel the ground beneath me tremble, and I quickly duck into the empty shack, tossing the wood against the base of the tree. _Well, this was pointless…_ I realize. I was on the ground, of course I would still get shook. And it didn't even matter, as the quakes stopped moments later. So, I get back to work. _Dodododo banana bus,_ I think as I pick up the strips, laying them over the ground, _Dodododo banana bus_ , and soon, I was done, _Perfect_ , I nod in satisfaction as I crouch on a new wooden floor. I wasn't sleeping on the ground anytime soon. Now, I could set some traps just in case Jack came back. Would it do anything? No. Would it make me feel better just to have them? Yes.

Making my way out of the shack, I stand up in the fresh air, stretching my back out. _Hoo, boy!_ I blink as blood rushes to my head. How long had it been since my last drink? One, maybe two days? And those wolves had stopped me from finding it before… _It's decided,_ I think, _I should find water,_ I look deeper into the forest, _God, I hope they come back…_ I lament, but standing here wishing wouldn't do anything. I had to-

 _Rustle._

I freeze as the brush far away into the forest moves.

 _Rustle_.

" _Hey, Captain_ ," a man asks, and I scramble for my hut, clambering up the logs and using them as a platform that I jump off of, pulling myself up onto a branch and out of sight, " _What are we looking for, anyways?_ "

" _We're looking for any survivors,_ " another voice, calm and… oddly familiar, replies.

" _But why?_ " the first voice groans, " _We need some action!_ "

" _Well, if they needed help, they would've asked for it_ ," the second voice replies, suave and sarcastic, " _And I doubt the old man really needs it. It's just Kaido._ "

"Just _Kaido!_ " the first one hisses, " _Jeez, why did I join you…?_ "

"Because you couldn't resist my charisma," the second voice says as he steps into the clearing, the first man following close behind.

"... Damn, you got me," the second one curses under his breath. But it was then that my blood ran cold.

The first man had long, curly blonde hair and a large rifle strung on his back. He wore a goofy grin and a larger-than-average nose, but it was the Captain that got me. The large scar on his eye, the scarlet hair, the missing _fucking_ arm-!

"So, where are these guys, anyways," the first man asks, and the Captain just laughs.

"There's only one, and he's up there, in that tree," the man looks up, his eyes grinning as he puts his hand up, shielding his eyes, "Hey there, kid! My name's Red Hair Shanks!"

"Nice to meet you!"

 **AN: Well, that's the chapter! The next one will be the Anniversary, and I'm really excited! Anyways, I will see you all next time!**


	29. 1st Anniversary

1st Anniversary Chapter

 **AN: Hey, everyone! My name is CaptainPrivate! Now, I recieved reviews about people being confused on where everyone is. So, Kelly and Shanks are currently on Geas, alone. Thatch and the rest of the Geas Crew are currently on the run from Jack after fleeing Geas, currently out in the middle of the ocean. Vista, Marco, Big Mom, and Whitebeard are currently on an abandoned Island in the middle of nowhere, a couple days away from Geas. I hope that that helps, and I'm sorry if you guys got confused. Once the summer starts and finals are good and done, I'm going to go back through every chapter and try to streamline them as much as possible, so thank you for alerting me to the situation. Now, for my note.**

 **It has already been a year since I decided to write the first chapter, and in that time, I have watched with growing joy and pride as the story that I worked so hard to make slowly bloomed into something people could really enjoy! Even through the mess-ups, fix-ups, and criticism that I wish I could even begin to express my thankfulness for, as it has helped me make the story clearer, your support kept me going through both the best and worst times of my life up to this point. It kept me from going crazy when everything else seemed hopeless, and the knowledge that this is becoming better as time goes on with everyone's help has helped me get motivation to better myself. I get that this sounds super cheesy and smoultzy, but I want to thank you guys in the only way I know how, with a special chapter. This won't be overly huge, just a look into the past for when Kelly's birthday was happening, but again, I want to say thank you. Everyone, thank you for giving this first-time writer's first story a chance.**

 **And as always, all that aside, and let's jump into the chapter! (Rated T)**

Intermission

( **Three Months Ago** )

" _Move it, brat!_ " the voice of Mikura Karen drives me on, forcing my already exhausted legs to pump faster to avoid being hit by the long, chained _fundo_ that constantly slammed the training room floor behind me. I was running along a track that was made from tape, which ran in a circle around a center point. In that center was the _bitch_ herself, trying to drive me faster than I could go by threat of blunt force trauma, " _You'll never learn the_ Shave _technique if you run this slow all the time!_ "

"I'm try-y-iiiing!" I say, feeling as weak as Jello. My entire body was encased in a large, bulky bodysuit that held fifty pounds of extra material that I had to run with at fifteen miles per hour for a consistent thirty minutes. I mean, granted, the entire thing was painful, but I was starting to get results. I was almost three times as fast and powerful than what I had been at two months ago, an inhuman feat. And Karen had been monitoring my food intake as well, making sure I was only eating high-protein foods at mealtimes, and that I was eating often. I was becoming more and more like a machine, but I was still far-off from where I needed to be. At this point, I was still only as strong as the basic crewmen.

" _Stop!_ " she barks, and I halt, but my weakened legs give out, causing me to stumble to my knees, "Get back up!"

"I- * _hah_ * can't," I pant, my chest expanding and contracting so much it was starting to hurt me. It was like being suffocated by your own body, "Legs… dying…"

"Get back up," comes the order, and see her feet next to me. Moments later, a heavy iron cylinder slams into the wooden floor next to me with a _crack_ , connected to a line of chains, "That wasn't a request."

"Fine, you slave driver…" I wheeze as I barely push myself back up, struggling to my feet under the weight of the suit.

"If you have strength enough to talk back, then put it into your training," Karen, despite being only six foot compared to my six foot three, had a commanding presence, her emerald eyes piercing my own blue, "I know where you are at," she continues, and I sag slightly as she turns away, "I was there, once. I hit my wall. But then, the man who trained me forced me to push through that wall, whether I liked it or _blah. Blahblahblahblahblah. Blahblahblah._ "

 _My god, this is so booooring!_ I internally groan, zoning out, _Why does she always do this whenever I hit my limit? She already pulled me out of bed way earlier than normal, what more does she want…?_ I hadn't had time to really think about it, seeing as how she'd been driving me, but I had no choice but comply.

" _Brat!_ " the red-haired Sergeant barks, and I'm snapped back to reality. Ope, there goes gravity, ope-

 _Crunch_.

" _Ah!_ " I cry out, clutching my jaw. She had planted her fists, wrapped in the chains of her fundo, into my cheek, snapping my head to the side. The taste of blood filled my mouth.

"Pay attention," she frowns, her orange tank-top and grey athletic shorts becoming a bit too vivid in my eyes, but I blink it away, "For that, twenty _Shaves_ and _Iron Bodies_."

"What!?" I exclaim. Those 'exercises', despite being meant to test my progress, were the worst, and we had already done them this morning. Pretty much, the exercise is Karen swinging either the chain or head of the fundo. If it is the chain, I have to stand there and take it, tensing every muscle I control. If it is the head, I have to avoid it by jumping back with what _Shaving_ I could do. It was by far the most punishing of my exercises, "That's bullcrap-"

 _Thwap!_

" _Argh!_ " I seethe, my side burning as the chains struck my side, leaving a mark.

"One!"

 _Goddamnit,_ I grit my teeth, quickly dropping into a stance, preparing for the next one.

" _Two!_ " she swings the head of the fundo, and the chain weapon sweeps toward me.

" _Shave!_ " I yell, pushing backwards, slamming my feet into the ground as fast as I can, and the large iron cylinder barely misses my chest. Karen advances, swinging a chain at me at such a length that I couldn't Shave out of it.

" _Three!_ "

" _Iron Body!_ " I yell, flexing every muscle on my body, and the metal slams into my shoulder with a heavy _thud_. They might just be chains, but they were heavier than twenty pound dumbbells. And the rhythm was set, alternating _Shaves_ and _Iron Bodies_. Until-

" _Eight!_ "

"Sha-! _Augh!_ " I cry, the chains of the fundo slamming into my arm, whipping me to the side. That had been two chains in a row.

"Never expect a pattern to stay," Karen says, and I nurse my bruised arm, "You can recognize it, but stay on your guard."

"Noted," I suck it up, preparing myself for the rest.

" _Nine!_ " chains. I tighten up, causing them to bounce off, and I watch as she rears back with the chains, so I instinctively tighten every muscle in my body, imagining them as a wall, but it wasn't the chains. It was the head. With no time to _Shave_ , I do the only thing I can.

" _Iron Body!_ " I cry, and the iron chunk slams into my side with a wet _thud_ , the impact reverberating throughout my entire body, " _Hurk!_ " I try to stand my ground and tank it, but the force is too strong, and I am flung across the room, sliding across the polished floor.

"Fuck!" I hear Karen yell, and I blink in confusion. My head was ringing like a bell, and for a second, I thought my brain was about to start playing _Hell's Bells_. Huh. Weird, "Kid, get up."

" _Huwah?_ " I groan, still dizzy, and the Sergeant huffs in irritation.

"You know what?" she grits her teeth, "It isn't even worth the effort. You have an hour to rest and eat."

"I…" I stammer, but she's already gone, walking to the end of the room, and I'm stuck there, staring at the ceiling as I roll myself over, shocked and confused that she actually let me go, " _Ow…_ "

-()-

" _Ugh_ ," I groan as I push open the door to my room, dumping the fifty-pound body suit to the floor, and I flop back onto my bed. It had taken me nearly fifteen minutes to drag myself back to my room with that thing in tow, and before you ask, I couldn't just leave it back there. Karen would be a bit too irritated then. _Jeez, is this what training in_ Full Metal Jacket _was like to the trainees?_ I wonder as I look over at a calendar pinned to the wall. September 23rd. My birthday. It was the first one I'd had where none of my real family had been around, but I was strangely okay with that. It's just what life threw at me, and because of that, it doesn't really matter. But should I even say anything to the crew?

 _Thudthudthud_.

"Hey, Kelly!" the voice of my Division Commander comes through the thin wooden door, "Get out here! I have someone that wants to meet you."

 _Goddamnit, Thatch_ , I sigh, pushing my sore and bruised body off of the soft sheets. "What is it?" I open the door, yawning, and stare dully as Thatch's pompadour bounces, the seemingly living hairdo wobbling as he grins mischievously.

"Hey there, kiddo!" the jazzy swordsman wraps his arm around my neck and gives me a noogie, which I try desperately to struggle out of, "I got someone for you to meet."

"I - _ow_ \- heard," I finally yank my head out of his armpit, grimacing as the smell of hair grease and testosterone sticks to my t-shirt, "Who and where is it?"

"It's me, asshat," a high-pitched, almost whiny voice says, and I turn to see a vertically challenged, short-haired brunette with a wide face, almond-shaped blue eyes, a thin, effeminate body, green striped Shakespearian-style clothing that made him look like a marshmallow, and a saber at his waist, "And I'm not an 'it'. I'm a _he._ "

"With how you looked, you could have fooled me," I shoot back, not taking kindly to being called an 'asshat'.

" _What was that!?_ " the kid-like… I'm not sure I can really call him a man, and 'boy' doesn't fit him either, so… thing? Let's go with thing. The kid-like _thing_ screeches, his voice cracking to unbelievably high pitches, and I cover my ears.

"Jesus Christ, Banshee!" I cover my ears, "Go put on a wingsuit and scream to fly, why don't you?"

"I neither understand what you're saying or give two shits," the kid grits his teeth, "But I _swear to whatever is up there_ that I ain't taking that insult standing down," he goes for the saber, and I quickly reach behind me, grabbing the doorknob and _yanking_ -

 _Crack!_

-and I pull the doorknob right out of its socket. "Let's go!" I say, holding it like a baseball, still trying to process what the literal _fuck_ was going on. You know those times where you talk too fast for your brain to follow and you just end up spewing a clusterfuck of words? It was like that, but in physical form.

"Did you just…" the brunette stares at me, "Tear a doorknob out of the door?"

"Wait, did I?" I blink, staring down at the hunk of metal in my hands in disbelief, "Holy shit, I _did!_ " I didn't even know I was that strong!

" _Hehehe_. Honestly, I'm not sure whether I should laugh or stop you two," Thatch, who I forgot was there, chuckles, "Screw it. Imma laugh. _Hahahahaha!_ " he bursts out, grasping at his gut and crumpling to the floor.

"And this is the man who teaches me swordsmanship…" the brunette facepalms, and something suddenly _clicks_ in my mind as I recognize the antagonistic kid.

"Oh, wait," I drop the doorknob, and it falls with a _thud_ , "You're Haruta, right?" I ask. I had kind of always been interested in the character, and I had seen very little of him. But as of now, he seemed like a bit of a brat.

"I am the one they call Haruta, yes," said future Twelfth Division Commander nods, "Who's asking?"

"Me," I say, "And didn't you want to meet me? I remember being told that you wanted to meet me because I seemed really badass."

"What? No!" Haruta reels back, "You wanted to meet me!"

"Oh, please," I scoff. This guy was a real asshole, so I had to come up with some kind of amazing comeback to really get him, "The only reason I would want to meet you is because I thought you were single," … that really came out wrong.

"Whoah, man," Haruta takes a step back, holding his hands up defensively, "I don't swing that way."

" _That wasn't what I meant!_ " I screech, and Thatch's laughter increases, "I'm not…. You know…" I blink, snapping out of my irritation, I try to fix my statement, "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with that…" I mutter. This was getting really fucking awkward, and _fast_.

"Mate, you messed it up," Haruta shakes his head, sheathing his blade, "But what were you going for there?"

"I was trying to make a quip at you looking like you were dolled up and ready for a night on the town," I bury my face in my hands, burning from embarrassment.

"That hurts, man," Haruta sags his shoulders, "I'm sorry that I was born like this. You don't have to make fun of my feminine features."

"Okay, this is getting much less entertaining and more pathetic with everything you two say," Thatch stands up, putting his hands on both of our shoulders, "But the reason why you two are here is because I think that you guys need some friends."

"I'm… sorry?" Haruta blinks furiously, "I'm not sure that I follow."

"You're lonely," the Commander says, "I'm saying you're lonely."

"What?" I say, "No…" I glance over at Haruta, who was looking just as confused as I am, "At least, I don't think I'm lonely."

"Well, you both _look_ lonely," Thatch bluntly states.

"I am _not_ lonely," Haruta protests, "I have… things that I do with people. Like, uh… eating… lunch."

"You do that with me," Thatch shoots that down.

"Training…?"

"You do _that_ with me too."

"I mean, I haven't done it with anyone else around, but...?" Haruta raises an eyebrow.

"I _hope_ that you do that alone," Thatch shudders, but Haruta shrugs it off. I might not have heard it, but I didn't need to hear it to be disturbed that he even implied that.

"That last one was a joke, but… shit," the future Commander shrugs, "That's all I can think of."

"What about you, Kelly?" Thatch turns to me, and I shrug.

"Imma be real with you," I say, "I really don't do much except get ordered around. I don't really have anyone other than Leon and Wash that count as 'friends', and those guys are like, years ahead of me in both age and strength."

"See?" Thatch turns to Haruta, "Kelly knows when he's an introvert."

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm an _introvert_ -"

"So," Thatch ignores me, "The two of you are going to spend the rest of the day doing what the other has to do."

" _What!?_ " both Haruta and I exclaim.

"Oh, come on, Thatch!"/"What the hell, Thatch!"

"You can't expect me to spend my day with _this_ idiot!"/"I don't want to go around with this asshole!"

"You wanna say that to my _face_ , you doorknob-using termite!?"/"You wanna say that to my _face_ , you doll-looking marshmallow!?" at this point, our foreheads were slammed against each other, and we weren't backing down.

"Aww, would you look at that!" Thatch grins, grabbing the back of our heads and peeling us apart. I could _feel_ the static moving between us, "You two _can_ do things together! Now, have fun! I'll give you the keys at the end of the day," he grins, slapping a pair of heavy handcuffs on our wrists, my left and Haruta's right, locking us together. Then, he promptly _shaves_ away, leaving us in the dust.

"... We just got bamboozled," I mutter, but am swiftly pulled away as the person on the other side of the cuffs walks away, "Whoah! Hey! Where are you going!" I protest this new development.

"One, no one says 'bamboozled' these days," comes the response, "Second, I'm going to get these cuffs off of us."

"Well, could you at least try to cut them or something?" I ask, "You're a swordsman, right?"

"I doubt it would do anything," the short brunette grumbles, "Knowing Thatch, these are seastone. And while I hate to admit it, I'm not _that_ good. _Yet_."

"Oh," I blink, "Well, could I at least get my stuff? I don't want Curiel to get the wrong idea and sneak into my room and take my rifle or something while I'm not there."

"Wait, what's so special about your rifle that Curiel would want it?" Haruta asks, but then his eyes widen, "Oh, wait! You were the guy who killed that giant Fishman island monster thing, right?"

" _Ugh_ , don't remind me," I say, and we turn around, going back to my room.

"What was that?" the future Commander asks, and I look at him.

"What was what?"

"That ' _ugh_ ' that you did," Haruta explains, "Why did you do that?"

"I- because I don't like the idea that I killed something?" I give him a look as we walk through the destroyed door, "I wasn't exactly raised to think that killing the insane is okay."

"...Really?" Haruta raises an eyebrow, "Because from what I know, the West Blue is a pretty rough and tough place… for a Blue. You don't get very far without offing someone, unless you're in a Marine family."

"Well, what's to say that I'm not from a Marine family?" I ask, and the brunette just rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, and I'm a Zoan-user," he scoffs.

"...Are you a Zoan user?" I ask, and I receive a slap upside the head in response.

" _No, you idiot!_ " Haruta scowls, "If you were from a Marine family, you would've been cowering too much to answer the old man's questions the first time you saw us because of our reputation."

"I mean…" I shrug, moving to my rifle, which was propped up against the wall, and grab it, slinging it behind my back with the strap, "Yeah, with that logic I suppose you aren't _wrong_."

"Damn straight I'm not wrong," Haruta nods, smirking like he's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

"But who are you to say that I needed to kill someone to survive?" I say as we leave the room, walking to wherever he thought was right, "Maybe I had other people to do it for me?"

"Oh, please," he snorts, as if it was the funniest thing he'd heard in awhile, "You couldn't… but there are some bosses… _hm…_ " he suddenly turns, staring at me.

"What?" I ask nervously.

" _And he doesn't seem like the type…_ " the future Commander mutters, and I half expected him to explode randomly and say something like ' _Where's the money, Lebowski!?_ '.

"Are you going crazy or something?" I ask, but the short brunette suddenly sticks his face in mine.

"Are you a gang boss?" he barks forcefully, and I wince at the randomly loud noise. Jesus, this guy's voice…

"No, I am not a gang boss," I raise an eyebrow. Imma be honest, he seemed a lot more mature in the story, for all five seconds we got to see him, "What kind of dumbass question _is_ that?" we begin walking through the winding corridors, receiving strange look as we passed our fellow crewmates, but we didn't care. I'm pretty sure we were starting to get into some sort of feud at this point. Given the crew I was on, I guess you could call it a _Family_ Fued. Eh…? No…? Just me…? Ah, damn it. I'm losing my touch.

"Are you calling me a dumbass?" the swordsman growls, ironically pulling up his fists, pulling one of mine up with him.

"Maybe I am," I growl back, a sort of giddy flame burning in my heart, hoping to release the anger of not being able to fight back today onto him. But, before either one of us could throw the first punch, we're stopped by a large hand on our shoulders, "Hey, bub," I grind my teeth, turning to the person who stopped us, "What's your- _Jesus!_ " I practically jump twenty feet in the air as I see Diamond Jozu behind us, his arm enveloped in his namesake crystal.

"Well, I've never heard that one before, but it's Jozu, not Jesus. Is that some sort of derogatory curse?" Jozu blinks at my reaction, simply raising an eyebrow, "And I'd watch what ya say to people. Ya might say something about the wrong person at the wrong time."

" _Meep,_ " I squeak, sinking to the ground, dragging Haruta with me.

"And-" he starts, but he stops as he sees the handcuffs, "Why're ya handcuffed?"

"Thatch," came the unanimous reply, and the Commander just closes his eyes.

"Goddamnit, Thatch," he sighs, "Well, lemme help ya," he reaches for the cuffs, "And stay outta trouble once Iiiiiii- _euuuurgh_ ," his speech slowly devolves into slurred sounds as he touches the cuffs, sinking to the floor, "Seeeastooone. _Whyyyyy Thaaaatch?_ " I feel a nudge at my shoulder, and Haruta jerks his head down the hall.

"Let's scram before he gets back up," the Lieutenant whispers, "He has a tendency to smother people in his fat."

"Yeah," we both jump up, lugging the heavy chains down the hall, but Haruta's foot hits Jozu in the head, "That sounds good."

"Diiid yaaaaa juuuust caaaall meeee faaaat? Heeeeey, yaaa littleeee shiiits," I hear the titan slur behind us, "Cooome baack here! _That's an order, damnit!_ " his voice was returned to normal, and I began to sweat.

"Seastone wore off!" Haruta urges, and I risk a glance behind us, but see only blue fire.

" _Runrunrunrunrunruuun!_ " I screech, and we both sprint as fast as we can.

" _Get your asses back here!_ " I hear pounding feet quickly closing in.

"Hey, dude," I say, glancing at my impromptu teammate, "He's right behind us!"

"Left!" Haruta barks, and I see a turn in the hall, with a wall at the end.

" _Waaaaugh!_ " I yell as he suddenly plants his feet, dragging me down the hall, and I hear Jozu crash into the wall, smashing through it. I doubt it hurt, but he was probably really irked by now.

"Hey!" my handcuff-buddy yells, "Pull your own weight!"

"I wanna get off, now…" I groan as I dangle behind him, being pulled behind at speeds I had yet to reach on my own.

"Fine, I'll slow down," the Lieutenant huffs, irritated, "Just get moving."

"Ugh," I blink dizzily as my feet touch the ground, and I instinctively begin running. This was like Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner.

"Hey, Kelly, right?" Haruta asks, and I nod, "I have an idea."

"Wha-?" I glance up, and see the pineapple head of Marco up ahead, "Wait, are you-?"

" _YEP!_ " the future Commander grins, picking up the pace, and we whizz by the titan, who was cramped in the halls, " _Have fun, Marco!_ " Haruta calls back, and the Commander glances at us, then quickly swivels his head.

" _WhoahJozuwait-!_ "

" _Jesus!_ " Jozu roars, in a terrible misuse of the curse, and barrels at Marco.

 _Crash!_

I risk a look behind us, and see a crystal ball smash into a swirl of blue, but I quickly turn back.

" _Jozuuu!_ " Marco roars, and I see him wrap his arms around the diamond-man's neck in a headlock, but Haruta drags me down a side hallway before it can get any worse.

Then, we stopped. " _Whooo~!_ " Haruta cheers as we both flop to the wooden floor, "We just did that!"

" _Why did you do that?_ " I pant, doubly exhausted now, "Now Jozu has a reason to kill us."

"Because it's fun," came the answer.

" _Ugh_ ," I chuckle, "You're fucking crazy."

"What are two young brothers like you doing on the floor?" a sophisticated voice asks behinds me, and I glance up to see Flower Sword Vista standing over us, "And why are you handcuffed to each other?"

"Thatch," we reply, and the swordsman nods.

"Ah," he nods.

" _Hablagarbahyuga!_ " I hear two voices closing in, and look up to catch a glimpse of Jozu in _Full Diamond_ and Marco in his hybrid form literally _roll_ past the end of the hall, and I look at Vista to see him confused.

"Did… you two have something to do with that?" he asks, and we both glance at each other. Haruta mouths 'no', but I nod. It would be best to be honest.

"Yes," I say, and Haruta glares at me, "We pissed off Jozu because we called him fat after he fell over when he tried to help us get out of these seastone cuffs or something, and we used Marco as a distraction for him."

" _Hm,_ " the Fifth Commander hums, "Well, that was probably not the best decision, but what am I to judge," he turns, gesturing for us to follow, "Come with me. I can help you."

"Thank you," I nod, and I get up, pulling a partially irritated Haruta with me.

"Why did you tell him it was us?" the brunette asks, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Because he could probably tell that we did anyways," I reply, "Now shush."

" _Hey!_ " my cuffmate hisses, "Did you just _shush_ me!?"

"Yes, I did, and you're _still_ talking," I growl. This was not turning out to be my best birthday so far.

"Both of you, I suggest being quiet, unless you _want_ to draw attention," Vista mutters, and we shut up. Vista was much more level headed than most other Commanders, and I wanted to impress him, "But this is entertaining, if you ask my opinion. You two were, ah, how does Thatch say it? Bamboozled?"

"See?" I smirk down at the annoying brat strapped to my arm, "Bamboozled."

"Shut the fuck up," the elf grumbles, sticking his tongue out to the side.

"Ah, here we are," Vista arrives at a door and opens it, "Blamenco! I need some assistance."

"Eh?" a thick, shirtless man with a missing middle tooth, a massive grin, and pockets on either side of his chin turns, a massive wooden mallet in his hands. I looked around the room, and was surprised to see a massive workshop of unfinished wooden boats and models. Tools were everywhere, the floor, the walls, even the ceiling, and dozens of metal and wooden pieces and mechanisms were sitting on workbenches. It was probably someone like Franky's paradise, "Vithta! Whath up, brother?" Blamenco spoke with a lisp, likely due to the tooth, and he reminded me of Mike Tyson.

"Not much, Blamenco," the Fifth Commander replies to the Sixth, "But I do have two boys here that need your help," he pushes us forward, and the titanic Blamenco inspects the handcuffs that bound us together.

" _Hyehyehye!_ Well, I'll be damned!" the titan - just a few inches shorter than Vista - laughs out loud, "I made thethe cuffth mythelf! Where'd you get em?"

"You _what!?_ " Haruta screams, and I have to cover my ears, " _You_ gave those cuffs to Thatch!?"

"Tho _Thatch_ thtole em!" the mallet-wielding Commander lisps, "That little bathtard!" he swivels on a giant spin chair that I couldn't even see behind him, "Oi! Curiel!" he calls back into the workshop, "I got a job for you!"

" _What's up?_ " the Eighth Commander's voice comes from further in, and I watch as the man walks out, spotting me and my rifle and narrowing his eyes.

"I want you to go grab Thatch. He thtole thothe theathtone handcuffth that I made," I strain my ears, trying to hear just what Blamenco was saying. That was a really bad lisp he had.

"You got it," Curiel grumbles, and starts to leave, but stops next to me, "I want that gun."

"You want this gun?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I want that gun."

"You want- you want this gun?"

"I want- I want that gun-"

" _GET MOVIN', THLOWPOKE!"_ Blamenco drives the Eighth Division Commander out the door with a his mallet, leaving a goose egg on the gunner's head, "There. Now, kiddoth, what did you do to get into thith thituation?"

"Okay, I'm sorry," Haruta rudely scoffs, "I can't understand a single word you're saying-"

 _Thwak!_

"Old man, I don't want to be on the _Moby_ anymore…" Haruta sinks to the ground, a goose egg sticking out of his hair courtesy of the smith, and his arm sticks up, still connected to my wrist.

" _You wanna make a quip about my thpeech?_ " Blamenco turns to me, and I quickly shake my head.

" _Perfect!_ " the Commander grins, "Alright, Vithta, you gotta leave for thith," he waves the Fifth Commander off, and Vista obliges, closing the door behind him, "Tho, let'th thee here…" the titan tenderly pulls leather gloves onto his hands and gingerly takes the chains, "One, two, three-!" he squeezes, and the chains shatter, pieces of seastone clattering onto the floor.

I gape in awe. "Did you just-?"

"I jutht," Blamenco grins, his deep voice booming, "Dethpite itth thtrength, theathtone ith brittle, and with enough thtrain, you can break it pretty eathily. You'll have to get the key from Thatch, though. It'th too rithky to try and break it with your writhtth… writhtth… thethe thingth," he points to his wrists, "In them."

"Alrighty!" I grin, and the massive Commander holds out a hand for me to shake. With near-reverence, I take it.

"By the way, I think that'th your thhip back there, right?" Blamenco jerks a thumb behind him, and I peek to see the burned carcass of the _Nicholas II_.

"Yeah," I sigh, my grin fading.

"Well, you theem to care for it, tho I'll make thure to work on it mythelf," the pocket-man grins, and I smile back, "If you need any thipwrighting done, jutht call."

"Thanks," I drag Haruta to the door and open it up, "I'll see you around, Mr. Blamenco."

"Pleathe, it'th jutht Blamenco," he lisps, and I close the door. I was free of my cuffs now, but what would I do with Haruta?

"Hey, Haruta," I lay him down, nudging him, "Mate," another nudge. He wasn't responding. Then, looking around to make sure no one was there, I sling out my rifle and lift it up and slam the stock right into the bridge of Haruta's nose.

" _OW!_ " the Lieutenant jerks up, clutching his head, "What the hell did you do that for!?"

"Oh, hey," I smile, "You're awake."

"I've _been_ awake, ass," comes the reply, "I wanted to see what you did, but that went from zero to one hundred."

"Well, that's your own fault for not getting up the first time," I say.

" _Who wakes someone up by bashing them in the nose!?_ "

"Anyways, I think we should go to the training room," I say, "I have a session with Karen."

"That redhead bitch?" Haruta raises an eyebrow as he nurses his nose, "Why are you training with _her?_ "

"It's actually because Leon asked her to," I say, moving to where I think the room is, "He noticed that I'm not tough enough, so he asked her and Levi to teach me stuff. Don't know whether or not _he_ knows that the Levi's training is just him attacking me with a sword, but I think Karen has the right idea."

"Really?" my companion raises an eyebrow, "She's seems way too wound up to do anything without making a mistake."

"Well, considering how I was able to rip a door out of its frame, she must be doing _something_ correctly," I shrug, "I mean, it might be my birthday, but-"

" _Wait, it's your birthday!?_ " the brunette screeches, clutching the sides of his head, " _Shit, dude!_ That's not right to have training on your _birthday!_ Jeez, I am _so_ sorry for being a dick today."

 _That just slipped out_ , I smile weakly. "No, really, it's fine-"

"I'm gonna go down there and give her a piece of my mind for making you train," Haruta huffs, steam escaping his nostrils, and he stomps down the hall.

"Woah! Wait!" I try to grab his arm, but he just drags me with him, "This isn't necessary!"

"Like hell it isn't!" he growls, his high tenor sounding like a low tenor, "No one should have to work that hard on their birthday! It's practically a rule! And besides, take this as an apology."

"Now hold on!" I urge, "Let's not get ahead- aaaand we're here. Fucking great," I sigh as I am dragged through the doorway of the training room, and I see Karen standing in the center, tapping her foot on the wrestling mat.

" _Karen!_ " Haruta barks, " _I demand an explanation!_ "

"You're late," she ignores the Lieutenant, focusing on me, "Explain."

"Well, I-" I start to respond, but a hand covers my mouth.

"Zip it and step back, Kelly," Haruta orders.

"Yeah okay," I gulp, standing back.

"Don't ignore me, Karen," the Lieutenant growls, and Karen just looks down at this pigmy who was sticking himself between her and my training.

"Who are you?" she asks.

" _What did you say!?_ " Haruta explodes, " _You know perfectly well who I am!_ "

"No, I really don't," the only female Sergeant the Fourth Division had raises an eyebrow, "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm 'Whirlwind' Haruta!" the future Commander reels back, "The strongest Lieutenant in the fourth!? Thatch's student!?"

"Oh, the _brat_ ," Karen rolls her eyes, "What do you want?"

" _Rrrgh_ ," Haruta grits his teeth, but stays relatively calm, "Well, you're beating the crap outta this kid on his _birthday_."

"Birthday-?" Karen's pupils shrink for a moment in surprise, "I never heard of any birthday."

"Yeah, I didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't want to make a scene," I put in my two cents.

"What did I say, Kelly?" Haruta growls, "Zip it or skip it!"

"Well, even if it is that kind of day for him, I'm still going to continue our session," the redhead crosses her arms, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing.

"I don't think you will," Haruta follows suit.

"And who will make me?" Their faces were mere inches apart, each adamant in their stance.

" _Hm!_ " Haruta pulls away, "How about we make a little wager."

Karen raises and eyebrow. "Go on…"

"How about this: If I beat you in a one on one practice match, you let Kelly go for the day," Haruta smiles slyly, "But if you beat me…"

"If I beat you?"

"You get my position as Lieutenant-"

"Deal," Karen immediately accepts the offer.

"Jeez, that was fast," Haruta mutters, turning to me, "Well, I think you'll get the rest of the day off," he shakes himself out, cracking his neck.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask, "I thought you hated me or something?"

"Well, you're annoying, sure," Haruta frowns, "But I don't think anyone should be forced to do something they don't want to on their birthday, and you seem chill when you aren't whining about stuff."

"I mean, thanks, but you're risking your position as a Lieutenant!"

" _Pfehehe!_ Oh, _please_ ," the future Commander - I guess I should have a bit more faith - laughs, "As if I actually was."

"Are you ready?" Karen calls from across the mat, and Haruta turns back to her. She had her fundo out, and looked ready to kill.

"Yeah," Haruta grins, pulling out his own blade. It looked fancy, with a poofy-looking guard that was similar to the Shakespearean shoulders of his clothes.

"Make your move, _Lieutenant_ ," the red-haired Sergeant stands her ground, waiting for Haruta to attack first.

"Well, as long as you're waiting for me," he disappears, reappearing right next to her, "I might as well try. _Ha!_ " the blade flashes, cutting through the air towards Karen's torso, but the Sergeant herself disappears, and a moment later, a fundo chain is wrapped around Haruta's arm, locking him in place, with the head _thudding_ into his forearm, "Wait, wha-?"

" _You're done!_ " Karen roars, reappearing, and she hauls him up, pulling him over her head and slamming him down onto the ground with a _crunch_.

 _Oh, that'll hurt tomorrow,_ I wince, but Haruta hops up, unfazed.

"Wow," he blinks, "That was… unexpected- how did you do that?"

"I-" Karen starts, but stops. She seemed a bit confused, and she was likely taking in the fact that her attacks seemed to have little effects, "But your arm…"

 _What arrrrr-_ "Oh my god!" I gape. His arm was twisted, popped out of its socket, "Haruta, your arm is broken!"

"Nah, it's just dislocated," he grins, "Gimme a sec," he grabs his shoulder and begins to move the dislocated limb until it moves back into place with a grisly _pop_ , " _Oh_ yeah. Definitely feeling that tomorrow," this crazy pigmy turns to me, "Hey, could we stop by Maria after I finish up here? Imma need some painkillers for later," he tries to move his arm, but the weight from the fundo locks it in place.

"Are you mocking me?" Karen reels back, her chain still wrapped around Haruta's arm, "Your weapon hand is trapped! You can't fight properly."

"Ya see, that's where you're _wrong_ ," Haruta grabs the chain with his free hand, pulling on it with both arms, and he's barely able to hold it up, veins popping in his neck, "I can snap-" he tugs on it, but nothing happens, seeing as he could hardly move it, "-this chain like it's nothing. _Snap-_ " he pulls again, with the same result, "-this chain. _Snap-!_ " he grunts, putting even more effort into it, his face becoming bright red with exertion, "You know what? Screw it. _Whirlwind!_ " he switches his saber to the opposite hand, slashing at the chain, and razor-sharp wind cuts through the chains binding him. Free of resistance, the fundo head falls to the ground, leaving a sizeable dent in the floor beneath the mat, "Jeez, how much does that thing weigh?"

 _This guy is crazy… he isn't frightened at all, and he reset his shoulder like it was no big deal,_ I blink.

Karen, however, wss not deterred, and stood her ground. "You expect me to be intimidated?"

"What? No!" Haruta looks legitimately confused, "I was just resetting my shoulder."

" _You're insane,_ " the red-haired Sergeant takes frowns.

"Am I?" Haruta is just all smiles, "Or am I just trying to intimidate you?"

"Either way, I won't give in," Karen grasps the chain of her remaining weapon, "I will fight until the bitter end."

"What, are you a fucking Samurai or something?" Haruta jokes, and the Sergeant's eyes narrow, "Well, it wouldn't make a difference even if you were. You're outgunned, especially since I can use Haki."

"Well, you didn't try to avoid my chains, so you can't prove it," Karen frowns, and she starts to swing the head of her chain, giving it momentum.

"Well, maybe I wanted to get hit, to try and get you to think that you can't hurt me?" Haruta proposes, and the comments were starting to take their toll on Karen. She looked nervous, not expecting this from a Lieutenant, "You'll never know."

" _Rrgh_ ," Karen speeds up her swinging, the chain whizzing so fast I could hear it from where I was standing all the way across the room, " _Shut up for once!_ " she flings the head of her remaining weapon, sending it flying at her foe, but said foe simply steps to the side, and the fundo slams into the ground harmlessly, " _Quit moving, damnit!_ "

"Can't hit me~!" Haruta smirks, sticking out his tongue, "Then again, I doubt you could hit the broad side of a barn with those things, but that might just be me!"

"You're so annoying!" comes the reply, and Karen yanks sideways on the chain, sending the weapon at Haruta.

"So predictable," Haruta smirks, and he holds and arm up-

 _Thwack!_ /" _Agh!_ Damnit!"

Only for the fundo to whip around the point he caught it at and hit the back of his head, sending him careening to the ground.

" _Khaha,_ " I chuckle as Haruta clutches the back of his head, dropping the weapon.

"Hey!" Haruta turns, glaring at me, "What are you laughing at!?"

"You just got bamboozled," I reply, and the Lieutenant steams.

" _That's still not a word people use!_ "

"I use it!"

"It's weird."

"It's funny!"

"Weird!"

"Funny!"

"Weird!"

"Would you both shut up?" Karen barks, irritated.

" _Ugh_ ," Haruta groans as he peels himself up, trying to lift the weapon from the ground, "But, like, legit, what does this thing weigh?"

"Why would I tell you?" Karen scoffs, "And even so, these are my training fundo. They're heavier than normal."

"Well, I want to know," Haruta grunts as he stands, legs straining under the weight, but he ultimately gives up.

"Fine," Karen huffs, reeling the weapon back in with ease, and I see a hint of red on her face, "One hundred kilograms."

" _Kilograms!?_ That's crazy!" Haruta's jaw drops, but I stand there, confused as to why he was shocked. I wasn't super familiar with the metric system, but considering Haruta's reaction…

"Um, Metric to Imperial?" I ask, and Haruta closes his mouth, body shaking slightly in the first sign of fear.

"That's over two hundred pounds apiece," Haruta comments, and it was my turn to be shocked.

"You were using those on me!?" my own jaw drops, but Karen shakes her head.

"No, I used only three kilo fundo for our training," the redhead shakes her head, "I don't want to kill you."

"Either way, you lift that much weight and swing it around like it's nothing!" Haruta grins hesitantly, "I mean, I can bench over two hundred and fifty kilos max, but how much do you lift to be able to do _that?_ " he gestures to Karen, who was beginning to casually swing the chain.

"It is a mixture of tenacity, a fierce teacher, and years of intense training," Karen narrows her eyes, "But enough pradling. Either you fight or you're forfeit."

"I can do that," Haruta gulps, and he readies his blade, "Let's go!"

"Then I should step up my attacks," Karen grits her teeth, spinning the fundo faster, and she lets it fly at speeds something that heavy had no right moving at.

" _Nice try-_ " Haruta starts, but a loud _boom_ from the direction of the fundo blasts out my ears, and I can only watch as Haruta is struck in the stomach, sending him flying back.

 _WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?_ I stare, wide-eyed, as Karen reels the fundo back in, her arms rippling with strength.

"Imma be pissing red tonight," Haruta groans as he struggles up, ruffled and dazed.

" _Chō onsoku sutoraiku_ ," the Sergeant frowns, and I wince.

 _Did her fundo just break the sound barrier?_ I stare in awe. I had never seen her do anything like this. Then again, I'd never seen her fight anyone other than Leon.

"Wha-at the hell was that?" Haruta wheezes, keeling over and dry-heaving onto the ground.

"That…" Karen blinks, shocked he was still standing, "Was my strongest attack. You aren't unconscious?"

"Nah…" Haruta coughs, "But I will admit, that was like getting punched by Jozu in his base form. Well done."

 _Wait, he's_ complimenting _her now?_ I raise an eyebrow, _He makes no sense…_

"You…" Karen is equally as confused, "I won't step down, you damn brat!"

"Yeah, well you'll have to," said brat shrugs, "Because, while I doubt I'd beat you if I didn't have Haki just due to the speed of your attacks and the power behind them, I kinda have Haki, and am going to dodge pretty easily."

" _Rrgh!_ " Karen growls, "I'm still going to win!" she flings her fundo without spinning it, but it still moves at alarming speed.

" _Dissapear!_ " however, Haruta was already gone, and Karen was searching around her for any sign of him, "Where am I, redhead?" he mocks her, mirth in his voice, "Am I here?" he leaves shave for a moment, appearing behind her, "Or here!" he moves next to her, and she tries to kick him, but he disappears, "Here? _Here!_ Here. Here!" with each move, he mocks her, and each time, she tries to swipe at him, but to no avail. She may have had power, but he had power and _speed_. Finally, he appears right in front of her, the fundo chain between his legs.

"Now I have you!" Karen yells, and she yanks up, but Haruta jumps, twisting in the air so he was upside down and above her.

Haruta grins, and he rears back with his saber, blackened with Haki, " _Tempest!_ " he cries, and a dozen stabs cut down towards her, not even giving my trainer enough time to put up an _Iron Body_.

" _Rrgh!_ " Karen grits her teeth as her blood spatters the floor. But as Haruta passes, I can see only a few small pricks on her shoulders.

"If that was any harder, you'd be dead," Haruta says as he lands gracefully, sheathing his blade. However, he looked at Karen with respect and concern, "This fight is over. Go get yourself to Maria," I was shocked at this gesture. He had called Karen 'the redhead bitch', yet he was trying to help her after the fight. Maybe he wasn't such a brat after all, "Kelly, c'mon," he walks out the door, "Let's go get some food."

"Yeah, alright!" I follow, but look back to see Karen collapsed to her knees, a look of pure grief and shock on her face, and I was overwhelmed with both curiosity and pity. What was that about? "Hey, Karen?" I call, and she looks up at me, her eyes full of shame, "Do you want to come with us?" but there is no response. She simply gets up and walks out the other door. _Hm…_ I furrow my brow.

"You coming, birthday boy!?" Haruta calls from down the hall, and I break my concentration, running down to him.

"Yeah!" I grin, "Just wait up!"

-()-

The hustle and bustle of the lunch rush in the dining hall was nearly gone, with only a small contingent of usuals. I spotted Leon, Levi, and Wash sitting at a table, with - surprisingly - Raver in a wheelchair next to them. "Hey, guys," I say, walking over with Haruta in tow, and the guys all look up.

"Kelly!" Leon's face lights up, "How is it? I thought you were training with Karen?"

"I was, but-"

"But _this guy_ got him out of it!" Haruta grins, stepping forward.

"...Who are you?" the healing Raver replies, the bandages around his chest shifting.

" _Are you kidding!?_ " Haruta screeches, " _We fought the Beast together-!_ "

"I _know_ who you are," Raver rolls his eyes, "It was a joke."

"...Bad joke," Haruta mutters.

"Anyways, why did Haruta go out of his way to help you out, Kelly?" Wash asks from across the table, and I take a seat, with Haruta next to me.

"It's…" I stop, cringing, "It's my birthday."

" _WHAT!?_ " comes the unanimous response, and even Levi looks shocked.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Leon frets, "I would've got you a present!"

"A present? _Hmm…_ " Haruta contemplates something, but the other swordsman catches my attention.

"Hell, _I_ would've got you something," Levi bites his nails, his purple sunglasses flashing, "I would've cancelled my hot date tonight if I knew!"

"Wait, you got a date? That's a first," Washer raises an eyebrow, and Levi sits back in his chair, flipping the Lieutenant off.

"Anyways," Raver interrupts, "We should celebrate. _Hey! Kitchen!_ " he yells, and a man in a chef's hat pokes his head out, "We need a round of shots out here! Preferably whiskey!"

"You got it!" came the reply, and a moment later, a tray of shot glasses was arrayed before us. Raver immediately picked up one of them and downed the contents.

" _Ah_ , that's the good shit," the Cheetah-Zoan sighs, and he gestures to the rest, "Help yourselves."

"I, uh…" I blink, staring at the amber alcohol, "I've never drank before."

"... You're kidding, right?" Levi pipes up as the group looks at me, Wash and Leon with pride and respect and the other three with shock, "You've been on this crew for two months and you haven't had a single drink?"

"Nope," I tell my swordplay instructor that really didn't do anything, "Well, at least while I've been on this crew. There was this one time I downed a bottle of beer because I thought it was cola though."

"Well, at least it's _something_ ," Raver grumbles.

"So, Kelly," Leon pipes up, "You're seventeen, right?"

"Yep!" I grin, "First birthday away from home."

"Pleasant," he nods. The air around our group felt awkward, but a harsh screech through a large transponder snail sitting on a shelf nearby disrupts the silence.

" _Fourth Lieutenant Dexter, Fourth Lieutenant Leon, my sons,_ " Whitebe- Pops' voice comes through the snail, his expression grave, " _Come to my quarters. I have something to discuss with you about the recent island burnings._ "

"Island burnings?" I wonder aloud, and Wash becomes pensive.

"There's been a suspicion amongst Big Mom and her crew that we've been raiding and burning islands under their protection. It's stupid to say, seeing as how we don't do that, but they're still pressuring us. They think it's either us or Gecko Moria is back for revenge."

"Gecko Moria?" I ask, feigning obliviousness. This was a chance to learn something about a relatively unknown topic.

"Yeah, the top dog from Paradise. Uses the Shadow-Shadow Fruit. Put up a hell of a fight, especially against an Emperor," Raver grabs another glass, knocking it back without a second thought, "He took out a majority of Kaido's subordinate crews, and even killed most of his top officers single-handedly, but Kaido managed to wound him and kill his entire crew, or so the rumors say," the cheetah-man sighs, his dark skin rippling with still well-kept muscle, "It happened a couple years ago, but I hear he's recovered already."

"Don't believe everything you hear," Wash says, "I heard Moria was killed. But we have to go," he waves at Leon, and the Sergeant gets up and leaves, "Don't do anything stupid while we're gone."

"No promises," Haruta says, and waits until Wash steps outside the dining hall before turning back to me, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Alright, drinking contest?"

"Sure," Levi shrugs, "Raver?"

"Yep," Raver nods, "Kid?"

"I probably shouldn't," I say, "I don't want to get a habit."

"Suit yourself," the Cheetah-Zoan and the other two snatch up the shot glasses, and I stare at the closest one. The amber liquid sloshed around in the glass, rocking with the massive ship. I knew that it would be weird, but was drinking really so bad? I mean, I was on a pirate ship, and I was a pirate, so I should at least act the part.

"Alright, you win," I sigh, and I pick up the small glass container.

"Alright, the rules are simple," Raver says, "Each of us take shots at the same time until you give up, throw up, or fall asleep. Ready?" we all nod, "Go!"

I throw back my head, putting the cool glass to my lips, and drain the whiskey. " _Gah!_ " I gasp as the drink burns down my throat. It had a strong taste, and burned, but it was strangely smooth, "That was…" I breathe, my eyes tearing up from the spice, "That was good."

"Alright, that was shot three for me," Raver grins, and Levi and Haruta looked ready, "Next shot."

Another shot, and we quickly fell into a rhythm. But by the time I reached my third shot, I was already feeling the effects of the strong drink, and by the fifth, I was wasted. Finally, I decided to call it a day. My bones were tired, and I wanted to sleep. So, I got up and left, turning down the hallway. As I spotted the destroyed handle of my door, I open the ruined barrier and enter my room, flopping onto my bed. _I probably shouldn't have done that, but hey,_ I let my mind shut down as the whiskey really took effect, _What can you do?_ But whiskey was actually pretty good. I would have to try it again sometime.

-()-

" _Haaaaaw,_ " I yawn as I wake up, my head aching, and I check the clock. 5:00 in the morning. My first birthday away from home had come and passed, and it was rather uneventful. It didn't have any kind of overly magical feel, it was just like any other day-

 _Knock knock knock_.

"Hey, open up- whaaaa?" I hear the door creak open, and I stand up, staggering over to the door as I clutch my head.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"Mail," the voice replies, and I open the now-fixed door. They must have repaired it overnight. Sure enough, a crewman with a giant sack is standing outside.

"Where do I sign?" I say tiredly.

"Sign? No need," the man tosses the sack at my feet and walks away, "Happy Birthday!"

"I- thanks?" I blink, shutting the door and turning on the lights. I reach for the sack, which had a large rope tied around it, secured with a long, thin dagger, just a bit shorter than my Baselard, "What is this?" I wonder aloud as I see a card attached to the knife, which read:

 _Dear, Kelly_

 _Sorry for being a bit of a dick earlier, but you're a pretty chill dude.._

 _I hope we can hang out again._

 _Happy Birthday!_

 _~Haruta_

 _P.S. I asked what you would want and Vista suggested a parrying dagger._

 _You know, to parry attacks._

 _Hope you like it._

And inside the sack was a plethora of presents, one from a lot of people I knew, and a lot from people I didn't. There was a blade cleaning kit from Vista, a few bottles of hair products and… the key to my cuff from Thatch. Very funny. A gun cleaning kit from Leon that, while useless for my rifle, would help if I got some sort of sidearm in the future, a pair of leather gloves from Karen with a hastily written apology in a strange show of humbleness, and even some actually really good drawings of me from Johnson. I didn't expect those. Levi even gave something: sexy lingerie with the note: _for that future friend with benefits_ attached. I stuck that one real far back into my closet, hoping to never see it again. From Wash and Maria, I got a combined gift, some pills made out of Wash's cleaning bubbles that were supposed to get rid of most diseases and afflictions. For example, a hangover!

I even got something from Pops and Marco. It was a collection of T-shirts, half of them purple and half of them army-green, with matching beige vests, all with the insignia of the Whitebeard Pirates on the back. I folded those carefully and packed them away. I would have to wear them as part of some signature look or something. It wasn't something I'd really tried yet, so I might as well.

And as I looked down at all these presents, all for me from the crew, this new family, I smiled. Sure my brother, my mom, my old friends, and even my dog weren't here, but maybe this wasn't such a bad birthday without them.

 **AN: Hey, guys! Thank you for reading the chapter, and again, thank you for supporting me in this first year! It's really been an adventure, and I hope we can keep going! And as always, see you next chapter!**


	30. Chapter 29: No Lying

Chapter 29

 **AN: Hey, everybody! First chapter after our first year! Funny story about this chapter, most of the early parts were actually written before I wrote the anniversary chapter, because I was in a creative rut for anniversary ideas. Anyways, let's get into it!**

Chapter 29

" _Nice to meet you!_ "

"Wait, _that's_ what that presence was?" Yasopp, the man with the rifle, asks, "That tree-child?"

"Don't be rude, Yasopp," Shanks flicks his friend, "He's just a kid."

I stare at the first Yonko we were ever introduced to, completely stunned. This was the _last_ thing I expected to happen, let alone in the same day as me just waking up. How had he gotten here? What was I supposed to say? How was I supposed to react? _Why was he here!?_

"Come on, kid!" the one-armed former ship-boy of the Roger Pirates calls up to me, his smile almost infectious, and I felt compelled to follow his every order, "Get down here! I wanna know what happened here!"

"I…" I stammer, my head spinning as I try to process what the fuck was going on, "I'm sorry, _whaaat?_ "

" _Ah, jeez, he's one of the stupid ones,_ " Shanks sighs, then looks up at me, putting on a cheesy smile, putting of a voice like he was talking to a child, "Hey there, little guy!" he says, squatting, "Why don't you climb on down here and I'll talk to you."

"I am _not_ a fucking _child!_ " I bark, irritated.

"Well, you're _acting_ like one!" the Yonko scoffs, "Just get down here!"

" _What was that about being rude?_ " Yasopp mutters.

"Maybe I don't want to come down!" I say, suddenly afraid of breaking my neck or some shit like that.

" _Jeez…_ " Shanks facepalms, "Okay, Yasopp?"

"What's up, Captain?" the sniper rolls his eyes.

"Shoot him down."

"Shoot him down?"

"Shoot him down."

" _Shooting down!_ " Yasopp brings about his large rifle, and the weapon _cracks_ , the round splintering the base of the branch I was clinging to, but it doesn't collapse, "Ah, damn," he mutters, "Missed by an inch."

"What's that about being a 'world-class sniper'?" Shanks turns to his crewman.

"Oh, shut up," Yasopp groans along with my branch, "That should've splintered it beyond repair. I was trying to use Observation Haki to zero in, but that kid feels different than us. He's screwing with my head."

 _What are they talking about?_ I wonder.

"Well, get him down anyways. Just shoot again," Shanks orders.

 _Wait, wha-_ I start to think, but everything goes blank as the branch gives out under me. " _Waaaaaugh!_ " I yell, and a moment later, I crash to the ground, the sound of wood cracking and breaking beneath me, " _Ungh_ …"

"You done?" I hear Shanks, and open my eyes, slightly dazed. There was a collection of snapped twigs and wooden planks around me, and I instantly knew what had happened.

" _Dude!_ " I groan, "I spent all afternoon working on that!"

"Well, it obviously didn't stand up to the test, did it?" the scarlet emperor replies, and I look up to see a hand held out for me, "Need a lift?"

"Thanks," I take it, and am pulled up like a ragdoll out of the ruins of my shack and set upon my feet like a toy.

" _Dahaha!_ Well, it was the least I could do after intruding like that," he laughs, "So, what's your name? It'd be weird just calling you 'kid' all the time."

"Uh…" I blink, still trying to recover from my probable concussion, "Ian. Ian Kelly."

"Weird way to introduce yourself, what with your surname first," the Yonko shrugs, "But you do you. I'm not one to judge. So, Ian Kelly, what happened here?"

"I'm sorry, could I-" I hold a hand to my head, feeling woozy, "Do you have any water? I haven't drank anything for awhile."

"Water, water…" the Emperor mutters as he pats down his cloak, "Hey, Yasopp?"

"Yeah, Shanks?" the sniper asks.

"Do you have any water on you?"

"Shanks, you buy nothing for us to drink except for sake, whiskey, and beer," Usopp's father rolls his eyes, "What do you think?"

"I could go for a whiskey," I pipe up, but Shanks waves me down.

"You don't need it, Kid," red-hair sighs, "Do we have any water on the ship?"

"Only red wine, and that's Mihawk's."

 _Mihawk is here!?_ I gulp, and Shanks glances at me.

"You know who Mihawk is?" he asks, and I nod.

"The best swordsman in the world," I reply, and Shanks rolls his eyes.

"That's arguable," he scowls, "If I still had my arm, I'd-"

"Captain, let it go. It was your own decision," Yasopp interrupts.

"I- You-" Shanks begins, but he sinks, frowning, "Yeah, yeah. I did it to myself."

"And was it worth it?"

"Yeah…" Shanks sighs, his frown morphing into a content smile, and his black and white eyes shone with nostalgia. I knew who he was thinking about, and my heart pounds, "Anyways, Kelly," he turns to me, "You're one of Newgate's kids, right?"

"Yeah," I croak, "I joined the crew a few months ago, but we got attacked here by Big Mom's group, then Kaido's crew."

"Hm, yeah…" Shanks rubs his chin, "Well, I think 'we' should go. There's no one else here," he nods to his sniper, and the dirty blonde glances at me, nodding back. A hidden message, I was sure of it.

"Couldn't agree more," Yasopp forges on into the brush. I take this as a sign that I should follow, but a hand crushes my shoulder, stopping me from moving.

" _Ah!_ " I wince, and I stand there, a Yonko crushing my shoulder, the only other person around quickly moving away for what seems like hours. Then, he speaks.

"You know, Kelly, I like to think that I can read people pretty well," the scarlet Emperor says, "I've perfected my Observation Haki to the point where I can feel the emotional changes in the auras people let off."

"A-alright," I gulp, a feeling of increasing dread creeping down my back, "And?"

He continues. "You see, as I explained everyone has a presence, a sort of 'aura' that is unique to them, and Observation can sense certain things in that aura. People who are extremely skilled with this Haki are able to even 'see' the changes in the emotions and feelings that one's presence reflects, and you want to know something that I find funny?"

"W-what?" I stammer, and Shanks lets go of my shoulder. I glance back, and his hand was casually resting on the pommel of his blade. Normally, this would be casual, but my legs trembled as I looked into his eyes. Those black eyes with white irises that pierced your soul, freezing your insides until you couldn't move. I could feel an increasing pressure in my skull, as if someone was squeezing a vice around it, and I could almost see the image of a great beast behind him.

"The moment we began to talk about my arm, that aura changed, and your heart began to pound," he grips the hilt, and the wind stopped. The birds stopped chirping and the far away rumbling stopped, as if the entire world was holding its breath, "You knew what I was talking about."

"I-" I begin, but my cheek stings, and I reach up a hand, feeling it. My fingers came away bloody.

" _Talk_ ," Shanks glares, and I put up my hands, trying not to anger him, " _ **How much do you know!?**_ " he was legitimately angry, and I knew exactly why. He could tell that I knew who Luffy was, that I knew the entire island. He was trying to protect them just in case I had bad intentions, and since he had that weird Haki thing that Teach could useused at Fishman Island, I couldn't mess this up.

 _This is a pickle_ , I think, and Shanks' eyes narrow, _He can tell my every change. Not exact thoughts though, so maybe-_

"Don't even try lying," he growls, and I clench my fists. This wasn't how I imagined where I came from getting out, because once I told Shanks what I knew, he would ask how I knew it. And since I couldn't lie to him, I would have to tell him the truth. _Fuck_ Haki, man.

"Okay, _fine_ ," I sigh, "You win, I'll tell you what I know."

Then again, who better to tell than Shanks, amirite?

"I know about Luffy," I start, and the Yonko tenses, "And I know about Makino. I know about that whole island, and I know that you were one of the two cabin-boys on the ship of Gol D. Roger," I over pronunciate the 'D', and Shanks' eyes shrink, "You still consider the other cabin boy, who goes by Buggy, as a friend, despite the fact that he puts on that he hates you. I know that you recruited Yasopp in the East Blue, and he followed you despite having a kid and sickly wife," I sigh, becoming more confident as I go on, "I know that Mihawk refuses to duel you because you lost your arm, I know that you had possession of one Gum-Gum Fruit, and I know how luffy ate it because he didn't know what it was. I know that the same kid was kidnapped by bandits and thrown to sea, and you saved him from a Sea King that tried to eat him, losing your arm in the process. And I know how you gave the straw hat of your former Captain to that kid, asking him to bring it back to you once he became a great pirate like you. And I know that the One Piece does exist," I end my monologue, and look Shanks in the eyes, which were swimming with a mixture of confusion, anger, disbelief, and shock, "You can tell I'm not lying."

"..." Shanks simply stares back, his face twisting and contorting with each new emotion, "Well, what can I say, Kelly?" he speaks up, his voice calm, but his grip on the hilt of his blade turned from tight to strangling, "I don't remember you being at the town, so unless you have some Devil Fruit that lets you see into the past, you'd better start talking before I bisect you," he pulls the slightest bit of the blade out of the sheath, and every alarm in my head goes off.

" _Khakaka! Okay!_ " I blanch, half from crazed fear and half from desperation, "Okay, I'll talk, justputawaythesword!" I scramble back, and the Yonko stops, the pressure he was exerting slowly dying.

"You have a deal," he replies, "So, how do you know everything. Tell me now, don't try anything."

" _Like I could get away with anything,_ " I mutter, and he glares at me, "Okay, okay, fine. No back-talking."

"This is trying something."

"Noted," I take a deep breath. Where to start? I couldn't lie to him about my life, but who was to say that he would even believe me anyways? "Well, where to start-?" I begin, but a blade that almost materialized in front of my nose shuts me up, "The beginning. Okay."

"So!" I say, but I didn't know how to actually begin it, "Um, I'm not from around here."

"That much is obvious, given your weird Haki presence," Shanks interrupts.

"Do you want to hear this or not?" I ask, but the blade is just pushed closer, "Please put that away."

"I hold all the cards, kid," the Yonko comments, "Keep going."

"Okay, then. I'm from Oregon," I say.

"Which Blue is 'Oregon' in?" he asks, "I'm not familiar with it."

"It's not in any Blue," I reply, "And before you ask, it isn't in the Grand Line or New World either."

"You're not making any sense…" the scarlet-haired swordsman furrows his brow, the blade drooping a bit, "But you aren't lying either…"

"I-" I start, but I stop. This was the big moment, _this_ was it. The moment I told him where I was from, my secret would be out to the world. _Do I want this?_ I ask myself, seriously debating whether or not this was the right choice or place to do it. But I had no choice. If I didn't, Shanks' very protectiveness of his protege would be the very thing that kills me, _Fuck it,_ I grit my teeth, look the Yonko defiantly in the eyes, and say those words that could change my life forever, "I'm not from this world."

Shanks just stares at me, thinking, his white eyes searching. "You aren't making any sense," he rights his blade, stepping forward, "And that weird Haki of yours might be able to mess with mine… I hadn't thought about that possibility…" I step back as the point pushes on my nose.

"It's the truth, though!" I say, my back hitting the wall of the shack, "What would I get by lying to you!?"

" _Hrm…_ " he narrows his eyes, "You have a point," the blade lowers _again_ \- it might as well be on a fucking trampoline at this point - and he sighs, my nerves calming with him, "Say I do believe you. How did you get here from… _wherever_ you're from?"

"That…" I start, but I stop, trying to actually remember what had happened, "I don't actually know. All I remember was falling off a cliff, climbing into my booooa- _ah, crap!_ " my eyes widen. I had completely forgotten about the _Nicholas II!_ "Shit! Fuck! Crap! Fuck! Goddamn it! Shit!" I panic. In the hectic fighting, I'd lost it, and the importance of my own survival made me forget about it!

" _Kid, focus!_ " a hand hits my face, and it acts as a hard reset, snapping me out of my state with raw _pain_.

"..." I say nothing, unceremoniously falling onto my ass, " _Oooooow!_ " I whine, "What the hell was _that_ for?"

"You're getting off-focus, Kid," the Yonko says, "And that was a light tap. How weak _are_ people where you come from?"

" _Ugh_ ," I grit my teeth, "Well, we don't have to fight for our survival everyday on our seas, so probably a lot weaker than normal people here. And for your earlier question, I think I got brought here by the Rainbow Mist. I can't be exactly sure, because I was unconscious for who knows how long, but that seems the most likely, considering how I saw a bunch of colors before I fell asleep."

"Hm," he nods, sheathing his blade, "Well, I suppose it isn't impossible that you ended up here. I'd heard of people being taken from the Blues before, but never other worlds. This is some fictional stuff. But that doesn't explain how you know about Luffy."

" _Khaha._ You know, your choice of words is funny here," I chuckle nervously, "Because in my world, this entire ocean and everyone in it are in a fictional comic book."

"..." Shanks frowns silently, eyes narrowing, and I begin to sweat.

"I swear!" I say, "It's created by a man named Oda, and it follows Luffy as he travels to Raftel!"

"Ah, so _that's_ how you know about Luffy," the Yonko scratches his chin, "I was thinking it followed me for a second there, given how much you knew. But this is still really far-fetched. Although, your Haki _is_ different from anything I've felt…"

"Yeah, what is up with that?" I ask, "No one's brought it up before, but I've heard a few people say that about me recently."

"Well, how can I explain this?" the scarlet emperor furrows his brow, his eyes flitting around me, "When I feel out with Haki, you sort of… just feel different than everyone else I've ever known. It just feels like you don't belong."

"Huh," I shrug, "Makes sense. I'm not from this world, so I don't feel like I am. But can't you still read it?"

"It's a bit difficult, seeing as how it's a new thing, but I can get used to it," he turns, "Walk and talk? I want to learn more about where you come from."

"Wait," I say, and he stops, "Why are you even trusting me? You said it yourself, for all you know my Haki could be messing with yours."

" _Dahaha!_ Well, what can I say, Kelly?" he chuckles, grinning wide, "I'm just trusting my gut at this point. And that whole 'other world' stuff just sounds right for some reason."

"Fair enough, but could we go check the beaches for my boat?" I ask, gesturing to the opposite direction, and he shakes his head.

"We can stop by on our way out. We should head to my ship first."

"Fine with me," I shrug, "But what do you need to know?"

"How do you keep the seas safe?" he asks once we plunge into the thick forest, and I was feeling a lot more comfortable now that we were moving through the forest. Shanks' entire demeanor was much more relaxed, and it felt like a normal conversation. Even his tone had changed, now bordering on curiosity and a childlike sense of awe, "Did you kill all the Sea Kings or something?"

"Actually, our 'Sea Kings' died out millions of years ago. The biggest sea predators we have are sharks," I tell him, "And we rely on our advanced technology."

"How advanced?" he blinks, and I consider what would be the most impressive to him.

"Um, I'd probably say Aircraft Carriers," I say, and he looks at me weirdly, brushing aside a hanging branch.

" _What_ Carriers?" he asks, "Is that a kind of transport ship?"

"Kind of?" I reply, "It's difficult to explain, but I doubt you know what an Airplane is, right?"

"Nope," he shakes his head, "Sounds foreign."

"Well, it _is_ another world," I grin, "But they're actually flying machines."

"Like balloons?" he asks, and I shake my head.

"Nah, it's more like a giant metal bird," I explain, "Aircraft _Carriers_ are giant steel ships that carry those giant metal birds."

"Do they have cannons?"

"They have one or two, I think, but they don't have as many big guns as cruisers and battleships do, because they can't carry them," I say, "The airplanes are deadly enough, what with their miniguns and rockets."

"Miniguns?" Shanks tilts his head, "Rockets? I mean, I can believe the rocket part, but what the hell is a 'minigun'?"

"Rotary-barrel rapid-fire rifle," I say, and the Emperor frowns.

"Like a Vegapunk cannon?" he asks, and it was my turn to be confused.

"Okay, what?" I say. The most advanced stuff was Franky's lazers, and those were dangerous. I guess the inventor could've figured it out.

"It was a prototype the madman himself made," Shanks explains, "It was a small rotary cannon that allowed for maybe three hundred rounds per minute, but it was so powerful that the recoil destroyed every single prototype, and Vegapunk eventually scrapped it. I'd heard that he made a few smaller versions, but rumors disappeared after that."

"Ah," I nod, "But yeah, Aircraft _Carriers_ are probably each as big as the _Moby Dick_ , and all are metal."

"Wait, if they're all metal, how do they float?" Shanks raises an eyebrow.

"How do they float?" I muse, and think back to a few books I'd read on heavy metal ships, "Well, they actually have air-filled hulls shaped like triangles that go a lot deeper into the water than any ships here," I continue, "The massive air-filled hulls displace the water under the ship, which causes the water to want to flow back in. The counterforce is what allows them to keep afloat, even with their heavy weight."

"Are there…" Shanks' voice is almost nervous now, "Giant metal battleships like these aircraft carriers?"

"Yeah, probably each as big, with sixteen-inch guns for the largest," I nod, "But why? They're kind of obsolete at thi-"

" _Damnit_ ," he spits, cutting me off, " _Fuck me, Captain_. _It's like Shiki all over again._ "

"I'm… sorry?" I ask, not really being familiar with Shiki the Golden Lion too well. I knew his name and that was it, "What are you-?"

"Listen to me, kid, because I'm only saying this once," the Yonko suddenly turns, grasping my shoulder with a crushing grip, "Once you get back to Newgate, you need to stay there for _as long_ as you possibly can. Gather strength and stay low until you are certain that you're unstoppable."

"I-? wha-?" I sputter, completely lost, "What are you talking about!?"

"The knowledge in your head," Shanks explains, "Just the fact that you have it makes you one of the most dangerous people in the world."

"I know that I might be saying this a bit too often, but _what!?_ " I gawk. I wasn't expecting this, especially from a _Yonko_ of all people, "I need an explanation here!"

Shanks sighs, letting me go. "A long while ago, probably going on thirteen or fourteen years ago, there was a man. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"Yeah, I think so," I nod, "It's Shiki, right?"

"Yes," his expression and tone darken, the air almost freezing at just the name, "The thorn in Sengoku's side second only to my Captain," Shanks grinds his teeth together, "My crew found a weapon of mass destruction, and he tried to ally himself with us, so we could destroy the government," he frowns, "Naturally, we told them to screw off, and the Captain fought him, but people like him are the reason why I'm telling you these things."

"Meaning?"

"You hold knowledge needed to begin work on steel battleships. Even though you probably don't know how to build them precisely, with the right shipwright, you could create a fleet that's almost invincible," Shanks says, "That amount of power and subsequent control could turn the tides of any conflict. I doubt even someone like me could fight off an armada like that."

"... Really?" I wonder aloud. Come to think of it, battleships in my world were capable of tanking even the heaviest of ammunition. And using my rifle, I could show them how to create shells that could tear through any wooden ship, Adam Wood or not. With that combination, I truly could rule in a place where control of the oceans meant control of the world. Jesus.

"Really," Shanks begins to walk again, at a much faster pace, "Roger refused Shiki's offer because he didn't want to live in a world that was truly controlled by one person. He wanted freedom for his crew. I'm telling you these things because it would be what he wanted, which is why you should stay with Whitebeard as long as possible and be careful."

"But what if I get separated from the crew, like what's happening right now?" I ask, "It'll take time to get as strong as I would need to be."

That stops him in his track, and he ponders it for a second. "I may have a solution for that," he moves again, gesturing, "C'mon, we're almost there."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'you have a solution'?" I ask, but he just waves me off.

"Don't worry about it!" he smiles, and he begins to jog, "Just hurry up! I wanna introduce you to my crew."

"Alright, alright!" I huff, lugging along my gear, and it's then that Shanks actually notices my rifle.

"Hey, Kelly," he speaks up as we jog, "Is that rifle from your world?"

"Huh?" I blink, having spaced out, "Uh, yeah. It is."

"It's a pretty neat design," he nods, "How does it work?"

"Well, there's an internal magazine that has five shots," I explain, slinging the weapon around and pushing on the lever, opening the receiver, "Once I fire a shot, I pump this lever, and the empty shell pops out. When I close the lever, another shot from the internal magazine is put in, and the rifle is ready to fire," he raises a hand, "Yes?"

"I have _several_ questions," the Yonko - god I still can't believe this is happening - looks confused, as if I had said something utterly insane, "What the hell is an internal magazine, and what is a 'shell'?"

"An internal magazine holds the shells, and the shells hold the bullets," I say, and Shanks' eyes widen. I pull out my necklace, showing him the empty shell, and his eyes change to familiarity. Strange.

"Wait, those things are yours?" Shanks blinks, and I look up at him.

"What do you mean?" I wonder. Did he know what these were?

"At Fishman Island, five months ago, I was looking through the scene, and I found this," he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a familiar brass cartridge, "I was wondering where this had come from."

"Yep, those are mine," I stare in shock and awe, "Does anyone else know about them?"

"Only the leader of the Marines," Shanks shrugs as if it was no big deal, but my heart pounded, and my face must've gone white, because the Yonko piped up moments later, "Oh, come on, kid. He might've figured out that these things are linked to that beast, but he doesn't know who did it. You're fine."

"Yeah, but-"

"Also, they're referring to you as the 'Brass Bullet' right now cause they don't know your real name, so that might be cool for you," the Yonko grins, "I know how much you Whitebeards love your monikers."

"The 'Brass Bullet'?" I mutter. That was by far the most metal name I had ever been called, "I mean, yeah, but nooooo…" I groan, pouting as we walked, "I didn't wanna be found out just yet."

" _Dahaha!_ Yeah, well, it happens!" Shanks laughs, rubbing the back of his head, "Anyways, we're here!" he grins, bursting through the trees into the other side of the island, revealing a large ship, with a small group of men milling about. On the sail, a large skull with a sash painted on its left eye representing the scars. Behind it were crossed sabers.

"My god…" I hiss, shocked about the whole event. This was crazy! I was almost on the ship of another one of the strongest men in the world. Well, shit, I felt as if I'd jumped the shark already, "So, where-?" I start, but I stop as I feel a pair of eyes staring into my skull, "Wha-?" I look around, searching for the culprit, but freeze as I see a large, black hat and a massive, matching sword. The eyes pierced my soul, " _Haaa…_ " I stagger back, almost into the trees.

"Ah, don't mind Mihawk," Shanks pats my shoulder, "I doubt he'll bother you much, as long as you keep those knives sheathed. Don't draw them. He might take it as a challenge, and you don't wanna know what happened to the last guy that challenged him."

"I have a good idea of what happened…" I gulp, "Noted."

"Oh, hey!" I hear someone call, and Yasopp walks over, a sake bottle in hand, "I see you didn't die, kid."

"Yasopp!" Shanks grins, "Pass me that! I need another drink."

"This isn't sake, Captain," the sniper rolls his eyes, "I found a fresh stream a mile that way," he points in the opposite direction, "And decided to fill us up with a better alternative to the stuff you lug around all day, especially if we're bringing a kid along."

"Wait, I thought you just implied that you expected me to die!" I bark, and Usopp's father rubs the back of his head.

"Did I?" he muses, "Well, I guess I did. Anyways, here," he holds out the bottle, and I take it, "Drink up."

"Thanks," I say, and I put the bottle to my lips, tip it back, and take a sip. The taste wasn't like any water I'd had, and it was like I was drinking rubbing alcohol. I quickly spit it out, trying to get the strong taste out of my mouth, " _Gah!_ " I sputter, "What the hell was that!?"

"Hm?" Shanks raises an eyebrow, yanking the bottle from my hands as I wipe my mouth, and he takes a sip, "Oh, yeah," the scarlet emperor's eyes dilate, and he tips the whole bottle back, " _That's the good shit_ ," he gurgles as he drains the container.

"That's not water, is it?" Yasopp sighs, and a blast of laughter rings from the ship, "Oh, _goddamnit_ , Lucky! You switched the bottles _again!?_ " he wheels, storming off towards the ship.

"It was Vodka," Shanks comments, his cheeks flushed with color, "Not bad stuff, Lucky!" he calls, and the laughter just doubles.

"Well, it tastes like shit," I spit, rubbing my tongue to get rid of the taste. I look at Shanks, and he was simply laughing.

" _Dahahaha!_ " he chuckles, "C'mon, kid. Let's go introduce you to my friends," he pats my shoulder, guiding me to the ship, "Hey, Benn!" the red-haired monster calls, "Toss me a ladder, would ya?"

"You got it," a gruff voice replies, and moments later a rope weave is draped over the side of the ship.

"Well, women and children first," Shanks grins, and I spin to say something in return, but stop.

"...Well played," I narrow my eyes, spinning back around and climbing up the ladder, " _Hyuuup!_ " I wheeze as I make it to the top, pushing through the pain, tipping over the railing and collapsing to the deck, gear in tow.

"Well, this is the kid who knows about Luffy, eh?" a rather large man wearing goggles and a green striped bandanna grins as he towers over me, a rack of meat in hand, "Kinda small."

"Oh, come on, Roo," Yasopp mutters next to me, spinning a flintlock on his finger, "Be polite. It's the least you can do after you switched his drink."

"Hey," that same gruff voice from before, which I now noticed as Benn Beckman, states, "Leave him alone. We can figure out his story later, but we need to get going. Newgate is in a tough situation, remember?" a hand wraps itself around my arm, hefting me up with ease, "We should get going. Right, Captain?"

"Well, as much as I want to celebrate right now, what with our new friend here," Shanks swings himself onto the deck, "You're right. We need to go," Shanks places his hand on my shoulder once more, "In the meantime, I need to have a talk," he glances to the bow of the ship, "Mihawk! This kid has a story you're going to want to hear."

"What is it?" I feel wind blow on my neck, and that cold, smooth, calculating voice sounds behind me, "If _you_ believe it to be strange, it must be extraordinary."

"Well, kid?" Shanks mutters, "You okay with telling Dracule here what you told me?"

" _Khakaka!_ Y-yeah," I chuckle nervously, thoroughly intimidated, "I can do that."

"Alright," the Yonko calmly guides me to the cabin of the ship, but I still feel the multicolor eyes of the greatest swordsman in the world on my back, even as I walk through the door.

"Don't call me 'Dracule', Shanks," Mihawk mutters as the two file through the door, shutting it behind them, "Mihawk, or even 'Hawkeye' is fine, but never Dracule. I thought we established this."

"Oh, come on," Shanks chuckles, pulling a bottle of _whatever_ out of his coat, draining it as he takes a seat in a leather chair, "Have a little fun once in a while."

" _Hm_ ," the swordsman snorts as he sits down in another chair, swirling a glass of wine in his palm.

"Well, this is… fancy," I say, trying to deflect the intimidation, and I was right. The entire room was a deep red, with black leather seats scattered about. A large, lush bed sat in the corner, covered by silk sheets, and several shelves of dark, leather-bound books covered the walls. One single, large window sat at the back, letting dim light flood in, "I didn't think this was your style."

"It isn't," Shanks rolls his eyes as he wipes his mouth, " _Mihawk_ kicked me out."

"Oh," I nod, fidgeting under the stare of said swordsman, "Interesting, to say the least."

"So," that cool, uncaring voice says, "What is it that red-hair believes you should tell me?"

"It's Shanks, Mihawk," Shanks mocks his… were they friends? I'll call them friends. Shanks mocks his friend, and Mihawk just closes his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"As I was saying, what is it that you needed to tell me?" he goes on, the cross that was really a knife on his necklace bouncing.

"Well, I…" I gulp as his ringed, yellow eyes stare into my blue, and an unexplainable fear runs through me, "I'm from another world where this world is a comic and I read through the comic and I know everything that happens seven years in the future and the guy that becomes your successor is on the crew that the comic follows and you end up training him and Whitebeard dies and Blackbeard takes his place as the fourth Emperor and you work for the World Government and Shanks stops the war between them and my crew and Luffy who's the captain of the Crew the story follows becomes the fifth Emperor of the Sea," I run out of breath, and Mihawk just stares calmly at me, taking a sip from his wine glass, the liquid like blood in the dim light.

"Ah, so that's why you were staring at the cross," he muses, eyes betraying no emotion, "You must have known it was a blade. I know you aren't lying, seeing as how red-hair-"

"Shanks," the Yonko teases, but his ex-rival continues, unfazed.

"-kept you alive and trusts you enough. I assume the story is about the same Luffy that he always goes on about, yes?" he raises a thin eyebrow, stroking his well-groomed beard.

"I- yeah," I blink, surprised, but not too much, "Did you do that weird mind-reading thing with Haki that Shanks did to figure it out?"

"It's not mind reading," Shanks points out, "I explained this. It's just using experience to guess what the changes in Haki auras mean."

"Please, I hardly need such childish tricks," Zoro's goal scoffs at the idea, his smooth voice almost like a pillow for my ears, "Leave it to those who use it for intimidation. I simply drew parallels and connected the dots," he finishes his statement by finishing his glass of wine, and I watch as the strongest swordsman carefully places the glass on a stand next to him. He then leans forward, his large, black and red cape shifting in the shadows, and those infamous, yellow eyes kept focused on me, his serious demeanor never once breaking, "But I was interested by what you said, about my successor being on that crew, and my work for the World Government. Firstly, what is my successor's name?"

He was taking this in stride, much less drastic than Shanks, but I suppose Mihawk didn't have any interests other than his own. But if I told him, he might try to find him early. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise that you won't try to go early."

"You have my word," Mihawk assures me, but I persist.

"What can make me trust you?" I ask, and Shanks raises an eyebrow.

"Kelly, you already know who he is," the Yonko says, "That's all you need."

"No, Shanks, he is correct," Mihawk waves his 'friend' off, to both my own and the Yonko's surprise, "It is good that he stays skeptical despite his knowledge. For all he knows, I have yet to show my true intentions in that story of his," the Strongest Swordsman stares me in the eyes, freezing me to the spot, but he wordlessly reaches up to his neck, grasping the golden cross, and he gingerly takes off his large, black hat. He then removes the necklace, placing his hat back on, and holds the cross out by the chain, "Here. Take this as a symbol of my trustworthiness. As you know, it is a knife, and would likely do you well, considering your armament," he nods to my blades, "You can use this. Is that sufficient for you?"

"I- yeah," I blink, taking the weapon he used to fight Zoro with near-reverence, shocked that he would even give this to me, but I hear Shanks whisper something to his former rival about five more.

"Be quiet, you idiot," Shanks sighs, his frown never fading, "That would undermine its significance."

"I'm just saying, Dracule- er, Mihawk," Shanks changes after the swordsman gives him the evil eye, "That thing is your steak-knife."

"Okay, wow, Shanks," I say, "Way to ruin the moment," the Yonko just shrugs in response.

"Ignore him," Mihawk's monotone orders, "I want to know what you know about my successor."

"Well, his name is Roronoa Zoro," I say, "In seven years, he is the best swordsman in the East Blue, wielding three blades, one of which is a great-grade sword called _Wado Ichimonji_. He will eventually end up with the cursed blade Kitetsu III, and the skillful-grade sword _Yubashiri_ , but the latter will be destroyed by a marine using the Rust-Rust fruit that catches him off-guard."

"Two named blades, and one of the cursed _Kitetsu_ line," Mihawk narrows his eyes, "Impressive."

"Yeah," I nod, "After that, he fights the reanimated corpse of the Samurai Ryuma-" at that name, Mihawk looked truly surprised, "-and beats him. Ryuma gives him the Dragon-Slaying blade _Shusui_ as a result, to give the blade the thrill of battle under a rightful owner. After that, their crew goes to Sabaody, Luffy punches a world noble-"

" _PPPPPPFT!_ " Shanks spit-takes the contents of a bottle of sake he pulled out of his shirt, "He _what!?_ "

"-and Bartholomew Kuma sends their entire crew to different places to help them grow. Zoro is sent to your island and you train him by having him fight your monkeys," I finish, and Mihawk scratches his beard again.

"Did I ever meet him before?" he asks.

"Yes, once," I reply, "In the East Blue, when the crew is recruiting their cook, a pirate you beat named Don Creed shows up, but then you show up and destroy his giant ship. Zoro, knowing who you are, asks for a duel," Mihawk narrows his eyes. He must be thinking Zoro was cocky or something, "But not because he was getting cocky, but because he knew that he might not get the chance again. He wanted to set the bar for himself."

Mihawk's eyes widen slightly, and he leans forward. "What blade did I use against him?"

"You used the knife," I say, "He was able to get a scratch off on you, but something he says changes your mind, and you agree to finish him off with the big sword. What did he say…?" I muse, "Oh, right. I think you had your back turned and you expected him to attack you or something, but he like stood up and let you cut him, because," I furrow my brow, trying to make my voice as gruff as possible to imitate our favorite mosshead, " _Scars on the back are a Swordsman's shame_. I'm not sure if the part about you turning your back was correct, but that's what he said."

" _Hm_ ," Mihawk leans back, and I could have sworn that the corners of his mouth lifted, if just slightly. Shanks glances back and forth between me and his former rival, eyes curious, "So, he is someone I deem worth my time. Interesting. What about the World Government? Is it related to the Warlords?"

"I… forgot that you wanted to hear about that," I raise a finger, "But also, don't you know what you are? I mean, I shouldn't be making assumptions, but in the story you were a Warlord for a while."

"So, I become a Warlord…" the black-clad dueler stares out the window, "I had received a message from Sengoku, but I had no intention of becoming a slave."

"Well, something must have changed your mind! _Daha,_ " Shanks laughs, his cheeks slightly red with alcohol. The Yonko then stands up, flinging out his arm, "But enough about- * _hic_ * -that. I wanna hear about Luffy, Kelly!"

"Shanks," Mihawk mutters, his friend's fingers stuck in his face, "If you do not move your hand, I will remove your last arm."

" _Daha!_ Whoops, sorry," Shanks rubs the back of his head, staggering a bit, "My bad. _Daha-!_ * _hic_ *"

" _Pffft!_ "/" _Did you hear that?_ " two voices snicker through the door.

" _Hey!_ " Benn's voice yells outside, " _Get back to work, Lucky! Yasopp, get back on lookout. We're almost ready to depart, and Shanks wanted privacy!_ "

" _Yeah, okay_ ," the two reply, and I hear shuffling as they leave.

"Shanks" Mihawk sighs, frowning, "I find your antics increasingly irritating."

"Oh, c' _mon_ , Dracule, buddy!" comes the reply, and Mihawk just stands up, deliberately walking out the door and closing it behind him, leaving me alone with Luffy's role model, "* _hic_ * _Daha!_ " correction: Luffy's _drunk_ role model, "So…" Shanks stares at the door, "What exactly happens on Luffy's Journey?"

"Well…" I shrug, "He gathers his crew, including Yasopp's kid Usopp, and fights a host of rotten guys, excluding Mihawk from the 'rotten' part, and heads into the Grand Line," I start, "Then, he meets an old doctor at the entrance who's taking care of a giant whale that was in the path of his ship-"

"He met old man Crocus?" Shanks raises an eyebrow, "I mean, you can't miss him, but how did he get past Laboon?"

"You know about Laboon?" I ask, "How?"

"Oh, I visit Crocus occasionally, just to talk, but how did he get past the whale?"

"He shoots it with a cannon," I nod, "Then he fights it and claims it as part of his crew," Shanks looked extremely puzzled at that comment, but I go on, "After that, he goes on some adventures where he meets Dorry and Brogy. Then he reaches Alabasta, helps stop a civil war, and fights and _beats_ Crocodile."

"The Warlord?" Shanks leans forward, the color on his cheeks beginning to fade.

"The very same," I go on, "After that, he goes to a crappy pirate town and meets Marshall D. Teach and Teach tries to kill him to turn him in to the World Government-"

 _Fwoom!_

" **Teach. Did. What.** "

" _Justthemessangerjustthemessanger!_ " I scramble back in my chair as the air around Shanks becomes frigid, and an intense pressure once more invades my mind as he stands.

" _Rrrgh_ ," Shanks growls as he calms down, "That bastard…" his hand mindlessly touches at the scars on his eye, "I assume he's that 'Blackbeard' fellow you said killed Whitebeard?"

"Uh-huh," I gulp, heart still pounding from the scare he gave me, "He kills Thatch and escapes with the Devil Fruit he gets. Then, he gathers a crew of the worst people you could know, and becomes a Warlord in order to get into Impel Down just so he can recruit the people in the Sixth Level."

"... Disgusting," Shanks blinks, shaking his head of anger, "But you know about level Six?" his eyes widen, " _Luffy goes there!?_ "

" _Khaha_ , well, yeah," I chuckle hesitantly, "How else would he save his captured brother?"

"Luffy has a brother?" Shanks' eyes soften, the shock of Teach's betrayal disappearing.

"Yep, although Ace is surrogate. But you wouldn't guess who his father is," I grin, and Shanks goes back to his seat.

"He's Roger's, isn't he?"

"...Right on the money, damn," I sink into my chair, mirroring the Yonko as he does the same.

"Yeah…" he shrugs, "I always did guess that he and Rouge got together," he strokes his ragged beard, "Although it is weird that he didn't tell anyone about it."

"He told Garp," I say, and Shanks just sighs.

"Of course he did," the Yonko fiddles with his sword, "But how does Whitebeard die?"

"Well, the kid's name is Ace, and he joins my crew," I start as the sun lowers outside, "Ace is captured by Teach and gets turned in for Teach's Warlord position. When the Marines try to execute him, Luffy and Whitebeard show up, everyone fights the Marines, and Whitebeard gets a hole put in him by Akainu. Then, Ace dies saving Luffy from Akainu as Pops stays behind to cover our retreat, and it's at that time that Teach shows up," Shanks tenses, "Once he shows up, Pops kinda bodies him for a bit, but then Teach's entire crew, including his new additions, shoot him to death. Then, he steals Pops' Devil Fruit, you show up-"

"He stole the Devil Fruit?" the Yonko asks, "What do you mean? Doesn't he have a Fruit already?"

"Yes, but apparently either his body or his fruit, the Dark-Dark Fruit, is messed up enough to handle two at once," I explain, "But as I was saying-"

"Now hold on," Shanks stops me, "How does that even work? No other Yonko can eat two Devil Fruits, and no Devil Fruit is ale to use another's power!"

"Well, have any Yonko ever _tried_ to eat two fruits?" I ask coyly, and Shanks sticks up a finger in protest.

"Well-" he starts, but stops, "You- I- _Ugh_ ," he finally slumps over in defeat, "Okay, fair point, but still. No one has ever survived eating a second Fruit."

"Well, Teach does, so," I shrug matter-of-factly, "It happens."

" _Hm_ ," the scarlet emperor frowns, "Alright, I need some time to think on this. Continue with Luffy."

"Okay. As I was saying," I restart, "You show up and convince all sides to stop, Mihawk leaves-"

"Why is Mihawk there!?"

"Warlord, remember?"

"Right. Go on."

"Mihawk leaves and Luffy gets taken to Boa Hancock's Island to recover by a future ally, who also saves his life," I say, and Shanks stares at me, intrigued.

"Hancock, eh?" he hums, rubbing his chin.

"Yeah," I nod, "Apparently, she falls for him _hard_ and tries to get him to lover her back-"

" _Hancock?_ No way," Shanks raises an eyebrow, "I think you're bullshitting at this point."

"Am I?" I raise an eyebrow in a sly grin.

"...No…" the Yonko rubs his temples, "Okay, but why does she fall for him?"

"Because he's the only person uninterested in women enough to not be frozen by her Devil Fruit."

"Of course _that's_ the reason," Shanks' grin becomes silly, "But at least he has a hot option when he gets around to it, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," I smile with him, "After that, Luffy decides to stick around and train for a few years with Rayleigh-"

" _Old man Rayleigh!?_ " Shanks jumps up, his voice carrying out through the door, "You never told me that he met my Captain's First Mate!"

" _Quiet down_ ," I hiss, "I thought you wanted privacy, right?"

"Ope," the Yonko cringes, lowering his voice, "Yeah, sorry. But still, you didn't tell me he met Rayleigh!"

"Well, it's after he punches a World Noble, which is after he arrives at Sabaody, which is after he fights Gecko Moria, after he beats the 'god' of a Sky Island, which is after he meets Teach for the first time. So, yeah, I missed a lot of story there."

"Oh," Shanks just shrugs, "Sorry about that. Teach just makes me a bit pissy."

"No, no, I get it,' I nod in understanding, "But yeah, after he learns Haki from Rayleigh, he and his crew meet up again, save Fishman Island, take out Doflamingo, meet the Mink tribe, fight Big Mom, and when I got sucked here, he was getting ready to take on Kaido after becoming the Fifth Yonko. That's about when you decided to go and meet him again."

"Wow," Shanks grins, sitting back, "He really makes a splash, doesn't he?"

"Yeah," I nod, and we sit in silence.

"So…" the scarlet emperor says, breaking the silence, his demeanor much more serious again, "Tell me about Teach."

"What exactly do you want to know?" I ask, nervous again. We had rarely ever seen Shanks serious like this.

"Start from why he kills Thatch," the Yonko orders, and I nod.

"He has this crazy-ass master plan-"

"Kelly-?" his tone was strict, much more to the point than the happy-go-lucky drinker in Makino's bar.

"Now hold your horses, mate," I shrink in, holding up my arms in assurance, "This works in with it. Teach wants the Dark Dark Fruit specifically because it's the most powerful Logia - even though it acts more like a Paramecia - and Thatch finds it on a mission. So, Teach, instead of being sane and just asking because Thatch would probably just give it to him because Thatch is a nice dude but noooo~! He has to go and kill him and it causes-"

 _Smack!_

"Sorry, kid," Shanks murmurs, "You were going a bit loopy there."

"Noted," I rub the back of my head, "Okay, so Teach kills Thatch because he wants the Fruit, right?"

"Right."

"After that, he goes on a spree looking for a high-bounty easy target, which is where Luffy comes in," I say, which gets me an increase in pressure, "He fails, of course, as Luffy escapes into a sky island, but Ace, angry for Thatch's death, tracks him down, and they fight."

"And Ace loses?" Shanks deduces, and I nod.

"It's a great fight, from a technical standpoint, but Teach turns Ace in to become a Warlord-"

"So he can get access to Impel Down, right," the Yonko grits his teeth, "And because Newgate doesn't leave his sons, he starts a fight with the Marines, and everything goes to hell. _Rrrgh!_ " he clenches his fist, slamming it into the armchair, cracking the armrest in two.

" _Woah!_ " I scamper back, stumbling over my chair, "Calm down!"

"I knew I should have killed Teach when I had the chance…" the Yonko growls, grasping furiously at his scars, " _Damnit…_ "

" _Hey, Shanks!_ " Lucky Roo yells from outside, " _There's some intact boats on the shore! Maybe we could sell them for some booze or food!_ "

"Hey…" Shanks frowns, "Didn't you say you had a boat here?"

"Yeah…" I nod, "I'll go grab it."

"Alrighty," the Yonko's tone was much less smiley, and he stops me as I try to walk to the door, "Kid. I think I might have a proposal for you."

"I…" I blink as he lets me pass, "Wanna come with me? We can talk about it while getting the boat."

"No, I think…" he rubs his chin thoughtfully, "I think I'm going to grab something real fast. Talk when we get back."

"Okay," I smile, and he waves me off. Walking out, I see Lucky pulling the entire freaking ship ashore- _are you kidding me!?_

"Little help?" Lucky asks to Yasopp, who was looking at some wrecked landing boats and clumps of disintegrating bread. All the bodies were gone, and the beach seemed much more… clean in a way.

"Nah, I'm good," the sniper shrugs, and I smile as I go to the ladder climbing down. I quickly spot the familiar red and white paint job of the _Nicholas II_ , and make my way over to the boat.

"Hey, a little help over here?" I call to Yasopp, and the blonde walks over.

"Whaddya need?" he asks, and I point to the boat, "This yours?"

"Yep!" I nod, and the pirate hefts the thing onto his shoulder with ease.

"There we go!" Usopp's father beckons for me to hop into the small vessel, "Get in, it's faster that way," I oblige, and the sniper leaps, hopping onto the deck of the ship, and sets the boat down, "Now, I overheard your talk with Shanks, and-"

"Usopp does fine," I smile, clambering out of my inheritance, "He becomes brave and strong, even if it isn't clear in the beginning," I smile, "So don't worry," Yasopp goes to say something, but stops and simply smiles, turning and walking down into the hold of the ship. _At least I can make someone happy today,_ I smile, and stride to the door of Shanks' room.

" _Come on in, Kelly_ ," the Yonko's voice comes from inside, and the door opens on its own, and the Yonko steps out.

"What-?" I ask, but Shanks stops me, leaning to my ear.

"I said back in the forest you needed to become stronger," the scarlet emperor leans back, "But just remember, it's your choice. I won't force this on you."

"You-" I gulp, a chill running down my spine, and the man pushes me through the door, "I-"

" _Daha!_ Come out once you've decided," Shanks smiles, and the door is slammed in my face.

"I- you- why-?" I turn, "Jesus…" I sigh, looking around the room. It was the same thing as last time: red theme, bed in corner, dim-lit window- _Hoooooold up,_ I blink as I look at the center of the room.

There was a small, red table, simple and easy to look at that fit the theme. But that wasn't what caught my attention.

There it was, a small shape about the size of an orange, red with orange and black stripes that streaked down the curling sides, spiralling down what appeared to be bubbles dotting the thing. A chill ran down my spine as I walked over to the thing. I knew what it was, why it was here, and I knew what Shanks wanted me to do. He wanted me to protect myself by eating this.

Eating this Devil Fruit.

 **AN: Aaaaand that's all, folks! I hope you all enjoyed, and I will see you next chapter!**


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

 **AN: This chapter was my nemesis. Everything I tried to do just didn't feel like it worked, and the amount of time it took to even get this much out is not worth it. So, to get past this, I'm deciding to just get it out there because I am soooooo irritated. I know it's short, but I need this. (I'm thinking I should remove the rating thing because that one thing was only one time.) Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 30

 _A Devil Fruit?_ I stare, frozen on the spot. This was a surprise, _Shanks is giving me a Devil Fruit to protect myself? Jeez, talk about overkill…_ I stare at the black and red object, unsure what to do, _So, I'm guessing he wants me to eat it,_ I sit in one of the large, leather chairs Mihawk placed, grabbing the head-sized fruit. I needed to think about this. If I ate this now, I would lose my ability to swim and possibly start to become cocky, _Ace taught me one thing: thinking you're the strongest around just because of your fruit is a bad idea, especially at such a high level. If I eat this, the same thing could happen to me…_ I gulp. Being cocky caused Haruta to get surprised by Sheepshead, and I remembered what got Ace captured in the first place.

 _I'm not even from this world, how would this fruit change my thoughts and stuff?_ I wonder. The Beast's Fruit caused him to go insane, and I refused to eat that Fruit for that reason. What would this one do? Obviously I wouldn't be able to go for a swim, but considering how little that actually happened on the _Moby_ , it wouldn't be too big of a problem. It could do the same thing as the Mass-Mass- Fruit and mess with my head, but on the _other_ hand, it could be something more powerful than even a Logia… _Hm…_ I turn the Fruit, looking it over. It looked fine enough, but I didn't like all those bumps covering the thing.

 _Hmm…_ I sniff the thing, and reel back as I smell something horrible, _Ugh, it's like gasoline!_ I hold it as far from myself as possible, trying not to breathe in the scent. I try to think on it further, going back to my conversation with Shanks.

 _Will this even work?_ I wonder, _I mean, I'm from a whole other world, and just like Shanks said, there's something different about me… would that be enough to negate the effects of the Fruit?_

" _Hey, Kelly_ ," a knock comes at the door, and Shanks' voice continues, " _Hurry up! If you want to eat the Fruit, eat it, but I want you to get the hang of it as fast as possible if you do, so decide already!"_

"Okay, fine!" I sigh, my stomach churning at the thought of eating something that smelled so nasty, "But are you sure this will work? I'm not from this world, so-"

" _Oh, come on, kid!_ " Shanks' voice sighs, " _Do you think I didn't think about that? You should be fine._ "

"Should be!?" I argue, "This thing smells like death, why would I eat it?"

" _Because it can give you a power boost that you desperately need in order to even try to contend in any sort of way in the New World in the shortest amount of time possible?_ " the Yonko suggests, and I stand there, thinking.

"I mean, yeah…" I sigh, "But what if it gives me some kind of… more major side effect?"

"Well, it's your choice. Just hurry up."

"Yeah, alright," I turn my attention back to the Fruit. I really did want to eat it, but the chance that it would give me some kind of life-altering personality or something was a large deterrent. Haruta, Thatch, Leon, Wash, if I did something that hurt all of them because of the Fruit, I couldn't live with myself. I know that they could hold me back and help me, but I wasn't sure if they really could-

 _So I want you to make me a promise, Kelly._

 _What?_ A shiver runs down my spine as a memory flashes through my mind, and I hear Thatch's voice.

 _I want you to promise that you will never stop trusting others, no matter their background or past, where they are from, or how they act, okay? Even if someone does something so heinous that everyone else gives up, I want you to trust that person, because if they try to hurt you I'll stop them first_ _,_ I freeze as that moment from my first day comes rushing back, _Can you do that?_

 _Yeah…_ I stop, _I can do that_ , I grit my teeth. They could reel me in, I trust them on that. With that in my mind, I bring the Fruit up to my mouth, bite down, and-

" _Hulp!_ " I gag as the taste of burnt rubber assails my taste buds, and I spit out the piece I'd bitten off, "Ugh, that tastes like _shit!_ "

"Kid?" Shanks asks through the door, "You good?"

"Yeah, ju- _Hurgh_ ," I suppress the urge to barf, "Just gimme a second," I sink to my knees, dry-heaving. That was disgusting, "O-okay," I shudder as the thought of eating a bite of the Fruit runs through my mind, "Second try…" I pull out my parrying knife, carving out a tiny piece of the thing, and I squeeze my nose, "Alley-oop…" I wince, and I pop the piece into my mouth. _Urgh_ , I almost throw up, just barely managing to swallow the thing, and I can taste the juices all the way down my throat, " _Blurgh,_ " I groan, and I hold my gut in discomfort, tossing away the rest of the _disgusting_ thing.

Then, my spine shuddered, and a feeling of rejuvenation shot through my body like a hot dagger, burning my blood and my muscles, and I cringe as my hair tingles, goosebumps covering my arm. A strange pressure was building up inside me, and I felt compelled to release it, almost like a water spout. _What- what is this?_ I wonder as I stand, my very body feeling hot. Among it all, a word burned itself into my mind, just a single word, but I knew it would be important: Fuel, _This is… good!_ I stare at the window, _This is great!_ I _feel good!_ I _feel great! I feel_ invincible! _I feel-! "Huuurk,_ " I grab my stomach, and my guts threaten to turn inside out, violently rejecting the bite of the volatile substance. Thinking fast, I quickly rush to the door, kicking it open-

" _Gah! My nose!_ " right into Shanks' face, and I lean over the side of the ship, trying to hurl everything in my stomach into the ocean below.

" _Guh…_ " I groan, but I just couldn't do it for some reason, and I collapse onto the deck in exhaustion.

"So…" the faces of Lucky Roo and Yasopp appear over me, "What the hell was that about?"

"I feel sick…" I shudder.

"We can see that," Yasopp replies, "Just what the hell did Shanks give you?"

"Devil Fruit," I gasp, the taste of bile and rubber still in my mouth, "Do you have water? I never did get any."

"Huh?" Yasopp raises an eyebrow, "Oh, right!" he pulls out a bottle, "I found some real water this time, not Vodka."

" _Pffft_ ," Lucky snickers, and Yasopp smacks him upside the head, "What the hell, Yasopp?"

"That was for swapping our water with booze," the sniper hands me the bottle, and I eagerly yank the cork from the neck, "That's just a dick move, especially when this kid is dehydrated."

"Yeah, yeah," Lucky Roo grins, tearing off a huge chunk of his signature meat rack as I gulp down the precious water inside the bottle, "So, kid, you said Shanks gave you a Devil Fruit? I thought he stopped doing that with Luffy. He must really think you're important! _Hweehwee!_ "

"Lucky," Yasopp grumbles, "You were listening at the door just like I was. You _know_ how important this kid is. If he gets caught by someone like the Marines, who knows what they would get from him about the future?"

"Yeah, well," Lucky just grins wider, "For the life of me, I can't take this little guy who's sucking on a water bottle like he's a baby seriously. I mean, come _on!_ He looks like the least likely person to have world-changing knowledge in his head!"

"Yeah, well," the sniper retorts, his dreadlocks bouncing, "Did you ever expect someone as unassuming as Shanks to be a former member of the Roger Pirates?"

" _Heh,_ " Lucky huffs, never dropping his smile, "Well, you got me there," the robust man turns to me, "So, kiddo! What's your Devil Fruit ability?"

"Huh?" I blink. I had been licking every last drop of water from the bottle, and wasn't paying attention, "What did you say?"

"He was asking what Fruit you ate," I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I glance back to see the jolly face of Shanks, "And I'm curious about it too. I haven't seen that one before."

"Did you not know what Fruit it was before you gave it to me?" I stare, my mouth open in half-shock and half-anger.

"Well… no…" Shanks rubs the back of his neck, "But hey, do you think you can show us?"

"Yeah, uh," I stand there awkwardly, "Gimme a second," I stand there, trying to figure out how to use the ability.

"Sooo… are you going to do it already?" Lucky asks, and I feel my face go red.

"I uh, don't know how to do it," I blush sheepishly.

"You don't know how to use it?" Yasopp raises a brow, "You're kidding, right?"

"Yeah, a Devil Fruit eater usually knows how to use it in its most basic form at _least_ ," Lucky adds.

"Damn it, I thought this would happen," Shanks hisses, and the two other crewmen turn to look at him.

"Shanks?" I ask, still trying to figure this whole thing out.

"Think about it, kid," the Yonko sighs, simply looking tired, "You're from another world. Who's to say that a Devil Fruit would even work on you in the first place?"

"Now that you say that…" I think aloud, "You have a point, but why didn't you tell me this might happen? For all we know, it took away my ability to swim but didn't give me powers!"

"Well, there's one way to find out," Lucky Roo grabs my shoulder, "Off you go!"

"Now hold on, Lucky," Yasopp stops him from tossing me off the boat and into the sea below, "How about we just use Seastone? I have some right here," the sniper grins, pulling out a piece of the mineral from his pocket.

"Yes, please, let's do that…" I wheeze, and Lucky drops me to the deck.

"Here," Shanks holds his hand out to Yasopp, and the sniper gives the small grey object to his captain, "So, Kelly," the Yonko turns to me, holding out the stone, "This shouldn't cause any problems if what we think happened is true. Ready?"

"Y-yeah," I feel a bead of sweat trickle down the side of my face. Here went nothing… "Hit me."

"Here ya go," Shanks holds the stone closer to my forearm… closer…

 _Thud_.

"Ow…" I groan, my nose squashed against the deck. Everything had gone dark there for a quick second after the stone had touched my arm, and I woke up a moment later, the wooden planks pushed against my face.

"Well, at least we know he can't swim, right?" Yasopp grins, and I turn my head to stare at him in irritation.

"Not funny," I sigh, hitting my head against the deck in resignation.

"Hey now," Shanks tosses away the seastone, "Kelly, you don't know that you can't use it."

"Weren't you the one that said you thought I might not be able to?" I groan.

"Well, yeah…" he shrugs, "But we can't… jump to… conclusions?" he grins uneasily.

 _I mean, he has a point_ … I push myself up, looking to the scarlet emperor. "So, what were you thinking I could do to, I dunno, activate it?"

"I don't think I can tell you that one," Shanks scratches his chin, "All I can say is that you should focus on anything that may be different with your body."

"Anything different with my body, okay," I grit my teeth. _Just like puberty, Ian_. _You can do this_.

"But hey, I think you can do that later," Shanks jabs his thumb at the sail, "Lucky, Yasopp, help Benn and get us moving."

"You got it, Shanks," Yasopp nods.

"Aye aye, Captain," Lucky sticks out his tongue, and the two move to the rigging as Benn takes the wheel.

"Kelly," Shanks' demeanor changes to serious, "I mentioned wanting to talk after you did what you would with the Fruit. Are you still willing to hear me out?"

"Yeah, I have the feeling it'll be important," I take a deep breath, trying to get all my facts straight. Was this about what I said with Teach?

"Come on then," the Yonko turns his back to me, moving to the ladder up to the Crow's nest, "I have a plan I want to run by you."

 _Menacing…_ I gulp, but oblige nonetheless. I quickly climb my way up the rungs, making sure not to look down, and we soon clamber up into the small wooden basket. I never really liked being up in one of these. If a storm came around, all that would be between me were thin wooden planks. However, we were not alone up here.

"Hey, Rockstar," Shanks says to the other man, one with spiky orange-red hair, "Climb down. Kelly and I will keep watch for now."

"You got it, boss," the man replies, and he swiftly slides down the rungs.

 _How does he not have ladderburn?_ I watch, but turn my attention back to Shanks as I remember why I was here in the first place. "So, uh…" I scratch the back of my neck, "What was so important that you had to make sure no one was around to hear?"

"I want you to spy on Teach."

 _...What?_ I blink. "Um, sorry? Could you repeat that? I think my brain shut off for a second."

"I said. That I want you," he says it slowly, "To spy. On Teach."

"Jeez, you don't have to act like I'm a child…" I grumble, "But why me? There are dozens of better options for espionage and sabotage!"

"Yes, but no one else knows as much about Teach as you do," the Yonko points out, "And information is what I need."

"Okay…" I nod in understanding, "But couldn't Teach just figure out my intentions with Observation Haki like you did?"

"Can he do that?" Shanks leans forward, and I nod, remembering the conversation I had with the lard bucket back on Fishman Island.

"Yeah. He did it to me about a week after I joined the crew," I say, "I was having a conversation with him, and he could tell what I was feeling."

" _Hmm…_ " Shanks frowns, his hand brushing his scars, "I didn't expect him to be at that level of Haki at this point. However, he couldn't do anything to you because he wants his plan to be successful."

"Good point, but why do you _want_ me to spy on him for you?" I ask a _very_ important question, "Teach isn't a problem just yet."

"No, not yet," Shanks takes a bottle of sake from within his coat and takes a swig, "But he will be one sometime in the future. And when that day comes, I want to be prepared in order to stop that 'War of the Best'."

"I'm guessing it's too much pointless death?" I ask, calling upon my limited knowledge of his character.

"Exactly," the Yonko nods, "And when the time comes… we kill him," I immediately wince in disgust at the thought, and Shanks glances at me, brow raised, "What's wrong?"

"I… don't like killing," I say.

"Really?" Shanks sighs, and he takes another swig from the bottle. Friggin alcoholic, "Well, spit it out."

"My grandpa, back home," I explain, "He would always tell me that killing is not the best choice, no matter who it is you kill. Because if we decide to end the life of another person, who's to say that someone else isn't allowed to do the same to us?"

"He sounds very philosophical," the Yonko muses.

"He was…" I stare off into the darkening sky, another day coming to a close, "A good person."

"Sounds like it," Shanks leans back against the mast, "He must have been important to you."

"The only real guiding force I had in my life," I reply, "He gave the best advice."

"Yeah, advice and direction are always helpful," he seemed a lot more solemn than happy -go-lucky, "But I personally think that he's wrong."

" _Hey!_ " I retort, "How is he wrong?"

"Well, he might not be wrong in your world, but his logic doesn't apply to this one," Shanks expands upon his comment, "Here, especially in the New World, you have to rely on yourself, not the words or advice of others."

"Well, then why should I listen to you if you just said that?" I say, grinning cockily.

"..." Shanks was not amused.

" _Yeahokayshuttingupnow_ ," I murmur.

"Anyways, _as_ I was saying," the Yonko continues, "You shouldn't stick purely to morals. Sometimes, there are people like Kaido or Big Mom who you won't be able to fight, and their minions often share the same thought," he goes on, "They will not stop until you or your loved ones are dead, so you need to do whatever you can to protect your friends. Get it?"

"...Yeah, I think so," I look down at the deck far below, "But it's still ending a life. They shouldn't need to die in order for me to stop them. I'll just beat them down."

Shanks lowers his head in what I assume is resignation, and I peer back to the sea. Far off in the distance, I can see… cracks in the fabric of reality- _what!?_ Is that Pops-? "You really think that's all it takes, huh?"

"What?" I ask, "What do you mean?"

"Kelly, even the strongest people, when they have every intent to end their attackers, can't win sometimes," he says.

"And?" I ask, "So what? I'm really good friends with Haruta, Thatch, Leon, Wash-"

"Have you ever heard of the Shadow Man Pirates?" Shanks interrupts me.

"Uh, no," I blink in surprise.

"They were a pretty famous crew for a while, a lot of people thought they'd be the ones to find Raftel," the Yonko sighs. They must have been impressive, "Hell, I was intending to meet them sometime, maybe see what their Captain was like, but by the time I left to go look for them, Kaido had already gotten there. Their entire crew, led by one of the strongest men of his time, were killed. The Captain, who was a man capable of going toe-to-toe with your crew's Commanders? He was left disgraced, a mere shell of his former self. If he can't protect his crew, what could Thatch do?"

"Oh," I sigh. I hadn't thought about that.

"So, in order to do whatever you can to protect your friends and family, you sometimes have to end another's life," Shanks lays his hand on my shoulder, the sake bottle gone from his hand, and I glance at the sea to see a small _splash_ , "Now, you'll be the one who decides if it's worth it to do that option, so you don't have to all the time, but just remember that it may be the difference between losing a friend."

"Okay…" I gulp. I wasn't planning on killing anytime soon, but I suppose I would've had to think on that eventually.

"But back to the topic at hand, do we have a plan? You spy on Teach and help me prevent countless deaths?" the Yonko asks.

"...Yeah," I hold out my hand, choosing to see where this goes, "Let's shake on it."

"Okay," he takes my hand, and almost crushes it.

" _Yeah_ ," I groan, "This hurts."

" _Dahaha!_ " Shanks chuckles, "You newbies crack me up," he lets go, turning and starting down the ladder, "You coming?" he asks me, but I wave him down.

"Nah," I glance at the slowly sinking sun, "I'm going to try and figure out what my Devil Fruit can do."

"Alright, your choice," the scarlet emperor shrugs, but then looks back at me, "Kelly?" he asks, and I raise a brow in question, "Trust your crew. They are your family, and as long as you communicate with them, they won't let you down," he grins, letting go of the ladder, standing with only his feet as he drains the rest of the sake, "Just make sure you get some sleep, you look like a zombie! _Yaaaaa-haaaaaa!_ " he jumps off the ladder, plummeting to the deck below, his cheeks a dull red, " _Hey, guys! Let's get the party star-!_ "

 _Thud_.

 _Ouch,_ I wince as I see him crash into the deck facefirst, _Jeez, that guy has to be bipolar or something…_ I frown, turning to the horizon, where I see even more of those cracks appearing in the sky, _What the hell is going on over there?_ I wonder, but I remember something very important, _Shit, the Devil Fruit!_ I blink. I hadn't been thinking about it since I ate it, and I knew that figuring it out could be the most important thing for me, _What did Shanks say?_ I wonder, wishing he was still around to remind me, _It was trying to figure out what was different about me, right?_ I lean on the mast, wondering how I could do it.

 _C'mon, the story never showed how to use Devil Fruits if you ate one…_ I cross my arms, just taking note of my body. I was extremely sore, my arms and legs feeling like jelly, and exhaustion tugged at my eyes. _Jeez, I really need a nap…_ I rub at my eyes, but a curious sensation caught my attention. It was like there was some kind of pressure, and as I drew my fingers across my face, putting external pressure on those areas, I noticed that the pressure was being released in the form of some strange liquid. As I took my hand away, I felt what was left of the liquid… how do I put it? It's like it was being absorbed through my skin somehow, and when I lightly touched the areas with my other hand, it was dry. When I looked at the hand that I had initially used, it was covered in a strange black liquid, similar to oil. _Whaaaaaaaat the fuuuuuck?_ I recoil, and watch with mixed horror and awe as the liquid is sucked in through the skin. _Holy shit…_ I gulp. What was that stuff?

 _Fuel_.

That word comes back to my mind, and something _clicks_. _Wait a minute…_ I pat my shorts down for any kind of fire starting equipment, but find nothing. _Um, ah,_ I search the crows nest, but nothing was there. _My knives!_ I quickly grab the hilts, yanking the two from their sheathes, _Perfect!_ I grin. Squeezing my hand tightly, I get some of the liquid out from my palm, and I lather it on the mast. _Alright, here goes-!_ I hold the blades over the black liquid and slam them together, making both sparks and a screech like a broken tornado siren.

 _Fwoom!_

I feel a moment of triumph as the liquid suddenly is caught alight, and I grin, knowing that my days of being weak _have_ to be numbered at this point, right?

…

 _Right?_

 _Wait a minute-_ I snap my head back to the mast. The _wooden_ mast. Which I had just essentially set on fire.

" _OH, FUCK ME!_ "

 **AN: God, I have a headache right now. Again, sorry for the length and how long it took me. I'll see you next time, which I** _ **promise**_ **will be within two weeks. After next chapter, I will be working on some changes to previous chapters that I realized were needed. Hope you enjoyed!**


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

 **AN: New chapter, less stress! Now, the next chapter will probably be a bit shorter due to the edits and stuff, but I'll get it up soon enough. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 31

" _YOU SET MY SHIP ON FIRE!?_ " Shanks roars as I sit on the deck under the night sky, the rest of the crew around me scrambling to put out the main mast, which was still wreathed in flames, " _WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?_ "

" _You were the one who told me to experiment…_ " I mutter, crossing my arms on my bare chest. While I was still up on the crow's nest, a couple of bullets had gone off in my bandoliers, just missing my head, and I had quickly thrown them over the side. Shanks' men had carried them and my rifle below deck, but I had removed the knives so I still had _something_ on me. It might be pointless, as I'm with a Yonko, but hey! It's never a bad idea to expect the unexpected.

" _WHAT WAS THAT!?_ " the Yonko's eye twitches in irritation.

"I said that you told me to experiment!" I retort.

" _You- I-_ " the red-haired emperor works his jaw, " _Ugh_. You know what? It doesn't bother me, it doesn't bother me…" he takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm down, but he was still tensed, "It bothers me. _It bothers me a lot!_ "

"Well, I will say," I start, but Shanks's head snaps to me, eye still twitching, and I gulp, "At least we know what my Fruit does now?"

"... _Ugh_ ," the Yonko just sighs, his shoulders slumping, " _It isn't worth getting worked up over, Shanks_ ," he tells himself, " _He's just a kid that's experiencing something new. Just remember how you felt during the powderkeg incident back with the Captain_ ," he rights himself, turning to me, "Still, the fact that you thought putting a flammable substance on wood and tried to set it on fire just to see if it would is just _stupid_."

"This coming from the man who is _Luffy's_ role model?" I shoot back.

Shanks just chuckles, brushing the whole thing off. " _Dahaha!_ Nice shot."

"Soooo…" I try my luck, "Are you over it now?"

" _Ohoho,_ no," he smiles, "I'm still _royally_ pissed."

"Okay…" I smile weakly, and the two of us turn to watch the crew as they heave buckets of water onto the mast. After a bit, I speak up, "Powderkeg incident?"

"Do _not_ ask," the Yonko shivers. I get that.

"Sooooo," I continue, "Why aren't we helping?"

" _You_ might accidentally use your Devil Fruit or something and make it worse," the scarlet emperor explains, "And that would make me even _more_ murderously inclined than _before_."

" _Oooookaaaaay!_ " I cringe, "A-are you going to help?"

"Nope," Shanks pulls out yet _another_ bottle of sake and drains the entire thing in less than a second, his cheeks quickly flushing with color.

"Is…" I take a shot in the dark, "Is it because you're always drunk?"

"Yup! _Daha!_ " he bursts into laughter. He was really playing into this whole 'drunkard' thing, wasn't he?

"Yeah," I raise an eyebrow skeptically, "I'm sure _that's_ the reason."

" _Lucky I swear to everything good in this world I will pick your fat ass up and throw you off the ship myself if you don't stop cooking your food on the main mast!_ " I hear Yasopp roar, and I look up to see a Haki-blackened Lucky Roo sitting on the still-burning mast, holding out a meat rack that was slowly turning a nice dark brown.

"Ah, c'mon, Yasopp!" the larger man shrugs, "This is the best time to cook this stuff! It's a nice, even heat, I can't get burnt 'cause I'm not in the fire directly and my Haki blocks most of the heat, and I'll be done once the fire is out! It's a win-win!"

"You lazy ass!" the sniper retorts, "Don't you realize that if we don't put this out, the entire ship is going to burn up! We will all drown!"

"Hey, if I'm going out, I'm eating a good bite of meat!" comes the response.

 _Click_.

I hear the sound of a door opening behind me, and I look back to see one Dracule Mihawk emerge from his room, and he stares at Shanks. "Red-hair," he says in his monotone, "This noise is irritating me."

"Oh, hey!" the Yonko grins, "Dracule, could you help us out here?"

"..." the swordsman stares at Shanks, his cold, yellow eyes seeming dead.

"Okay, _fine_ ," Shanks crosses his arms, " _Mihawk_ , can you give us a hand here?"

"Only if I can have some peace and quiet," Mihawk slowly steps in front of us, and I watch as he reaches behind him, grabbing the hilt of his massive black blade… shit, that sounded like an innuendo. The strongest swordsman in the world then brings it back, one handed, and swings.

" _Haaaaa!_ " I gasp in shock as the air is sucked out of my lungs, a massive maelstrom thrashing the deck, sending me tumbling, " _Ah!_ " I cry out as I hit the ship's railing, the wood cracking, and not a moment later, the entire ship goes dark as every light is snuffed out.

" _Hmph,_ " I can hear Mihawk snort, "You could have done that yourself, Red-hair."

"It's _Shanks_ , Mihawk!" I hear the Yonko retort before a door slams shut, "Ah, jeez. _Can someone put a light on?_ "

 _Flick_.

I open my eyes, my head ringing, and see a flame flickering in the moonlit sky. Behind that flame was the familiar grey hair of Benn Beckman. "Why do you antagonize him?" I see the first mate lean down to pick Shanks up.

"Because I'm the only one who can get away with it," Shanks smiles, "And besides, if he gets fed up, I get to spend a day reliving some damn good duels!"

"You're crazy sometimes…" Benn's cigarette bobs up and down.

"Am I _really_ the crazy one?" Shanks smirks, "Or are you the crazy one for following me?"

" _Ugh_ ," Benn looks up, "The sail is unusable. It's a good thing we have a spare. I'm going to go get light to the rest of the deck," with that, the first mate walks off.

"Yeah," Shanks looks through the darkness in my direction, "Hey, Kelly, come here," I oblige, wearily walking over to him, "You see that?"

"See what?" I glance at him. The only light was Benn's now faraway lighter and the moon, and the fact that my eyes were still adjusting made it hard to see. Shanks notices and points at a charred white mass, and I squint, "What am I looking at?"

"That is the reason we ask for help when testing Devil Fruits," the Yonko pats my shoulder, strangely cheerful, "But! I want to know how you activated it, given that you didn't know how."

"Well, uh, a weird black liquid comes out of my skin when I put pressure on it," I say, pressing my middle and pointer fingers to my arm, and pulling back with a glob of the stuff, showing it to the scarlet emperor.

"Huh," Shanks scratches his beard, and he watches with fascination as it slowly sinks back into the skin, "How did you figure that one out?"

"I actually did what you said," I smile, "I tried to notice what was different. I could feel something under my skin."

"Oh!" his eyes light up, "Happy to be of help! But I'm guessing you can set it on fire?"

"Yeah, that seems to be the process of events," I nod.

"Hmm…" the Yonko nods, "Sounds helpful for your style."

"Yeah!" I grin, "I'll finally be able to get up close and personal with people now!"

"Whooooah, hold on, there," the scarlet emperor holds up his hands, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. You're still not very physically strong yet."

"I mean, yeah, but-"

"You also aren't very fast," he interrupts me.

"I-"

"Or skilled with knives."

"You-"

"Really, you aren't very good at hiding, either, considering Haki."

"..." I wait for him to finish bashing me, "Are you done?"

"Hold on, one more," he shakes his head, "You also seem to not think things through too often. Although, I've only got one example, so I can't tell in that department."

"You done now?"

"...Yeah, I think so," comes the response. But, unfortunately, the more I thought on it, the more I realized he was right. I wasn't physically powerful like Karen or Jozu, I wasn't fast like Raver or Haruta, I _definitely_ didn't have the skill of Thatch or Vista, and I wasn't as good at strategizing or playing it smart like Washer or Leon. Really, I was only good at one thing: staying back and giving what support I could. Come to think of it, I relied more on everyone else to give me the tools I needed to be successful in a fight. On Fishman Island, Wash made the plan and kept me out of the Beast's way, and Teach went head-to-head with it while I shot from afar. On Geas, it was Karen's training that kept me alive against those ninja guys. When I was witnessing the fight against Cracker, I did fuck all, and with Sheepshead, I mainly retreated until Haruta showed up. Jesus, I was turning out like Krillin from _Dragonball_.

"Well, here's a chance to change that, right? This Devil Fruit will definitely make me a lot better in hand-to-hand!" I grin, but Shanks seems unamused.

"Actually, that's a bad way of thinking," he frowns, and I raise an eyebrow in confusion

"How?" I ask. I was actually confused. I mean, look at Ace: he started out using a pipe but dropped that thing once he got _his_ Devil Fruit, "I feel stronger already right now!"

"You aren't actually any stronger, kid," Shanks says fairly bluntly, "You just _think_ you are. It's all mental."

"Yeah, well," I try to come up with a retort, "I can practice with it!"

" _Ugh, you're a fucking idiot,_ " the Yonko facepalms, "You want to know what makes people like me, Mihawk, and Newgate deadly?" he asks, and I scratch my head.

"Um, your unending strength and abilities?"

"That's only part of it," Shanks shrugs, "It's the experience we've gained over the years," he goes on, "And throughout those years, I've seen dozens of examples of people that think they're invincible just because they eat a Devil Fruit, only to be dashed like their hopes and dreams against the waves of _Paradise_ ," he furrows his brow, "But among them are those who waste what potential they already had. Swordsmen, snipers, martial artists, each with skill that, frankly, might have kept them going a little longer than the Fruit had."

"...And this is all leading up to…?" I I wave my hand about, trying to get him to just tell me what he wanted to say.

"Fine, I'll get to the point," he shrugs, smirking, "What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't change your skills to fit what you think the Devil Fruit should do, but instead focus your Devil Fruit to complement and strengthen what you already have. I'm not saying that you shouldn't exclude the idea of using only your Fruit, but you shouldn't just ignore your other skills."

"Okay," I nod, "I think I get it…" I look around the deck, watching as lamps are lit up and the replacement sail is put in place. _Complement my other skills… hmmmm…_ I think about what I can do, "How about… _this!_ " I exclaim as something _clicks_ in my brain. I knew what I could do. Yanking my parrying dagger out of its sheath, I squeeze my free fist until the black liquid begins to ooze out. Then, moving quickly, but not so quickly that I'd cut myself, I wrap my hand around the blade of the weapon and slowly draw it from the hilt to the tip, like creasing a fold in a sheet of paper. That, or applying a Resin in _Dark Souls._ Then, I wait until the excess sinks back into my skin, and I pull out my baselard. _Here goes!_ I then strike the two knives together as hard as I can, and sparks quickly ignite the liquid on the blade, sending the whole weapon up in flame in a brilliant white flash.

" _Jeez, that's both hot and bright!_ " I hear Shanks yell, his footsteps quickly stumbling back, but my attention was fixated on the flaming blade.

The liquid gave off a beautiful glow, orange like a furnace at the base and red as magma at the flickering tongues. A thin trail of smoke spiraled up into the night sky, but I noticed the more red parts of the flame let off more. Perhaps some kind of temperature related problem? I could feel my hair being ruffled by what I presumed to be heat, but I only felt like I was being lightly tickled. I looked down at my clothes, curious to see if the simple censorship measure Oda had taken kept with this reality, and I was pleasantly surprised to see my clothes were un-burned. My attention back to the dagger, it was still keeping its shape, so the flame obviously wasn't strong enough to melt the steel, but as I glanced around, I saw how it was affecting everyone else. Shanks had retreated to around three feet away, his face reddening, and sweat was beginning to pour from his face. Benn, who had previously walked off, was now staring at me with shock. Even the previously irritating Lucky Roo had his gaze locked on. All eyes were fixed on me.

"Hot damn!" Lucky Roo yells from somewhere, "Hey, kid! Mind if I pay you to be my personal oven?"

"Lucky, we both know you wouldn't actually give him money," Yasopp snipes at the larger man.

"Eh, you're right."

"Hot damn is right, though," Shanks grins hesitantly, moving in closer. The heat must've died down, "I did _not_ expect that level of heat when it combusted! How are you even standing that close!?"

"I… don't really feel it," I reply, and Shanks begins to laugh.

" _Daha,_ " his grin widens, " _Daha! Dahahaha! Dahahahahahahahaha!_ " he's laughing almost hysterically at this point, and everyone is looking at him, "Well, damn, Kelly! That's turning out to be one hell of an ability! You can ignite a fire and just sit in the middle of it! _Dahaha…_ " he calms down a little by grabbing an absent bottle of booze from a barrel close to him and chugging it, " _Ah!_ That hit the spot!" he tosses the bottle away and gets closer, now seemingly unfazed by the 'heat', "So, what are we gonna call this Fruit of yours?"

"The Fuel-Fuel Fruit," I say, remembering that word in my head, and Shanks blinks at me in surprise.

" _Daha!_ That was fast," he chuckles, "But hey, it's your Fruit! Personally, I would have gone with the 'Oil-Oil Fruit' or something, but…"

"Actually, I got the idea from this word that I keep thinking of," I say, but the Yonko just shrugs.

"Hey, I'm not judging, just… make sure you don't get too cocky about having it," he grins, "I can't have my ally for taking down Teach die because he overestimated himself!"

"Yeah…" I nod. This must be why he's acting so invested in me.

"Hey! Captain Shanks!" one of the crew who I don't know the name of yells from near the railing, "There's something in the sea!"

"What is it?" the Yonko moves to look, " _Uh!_ " he suddenly lurches forward, staring over the side, " _Get them aboard!_ "

 _What?_ I furrow my brow, _Them!?_

"Right away!" the random crew guy - damn, I really wish Oda named him before I got here! - grabs a pile of rope, quickly tying the knot around the railing and leaping over with it in hand. Soon, onto the wooden deck, a man was flopped onto his back. The man was tall and muscular, probably over seven foot: crew-cut brown hair with long sideburns, tanned skin, a strong chin, large ears, small nose, and a couple of scars, from his right forehead to his left cheekbone, the other on his right lower lip. He wore a dirty and wet grey vest, with baggy, brown pants that look like they belonged in _Aladdin_. If you ask me, the brown pants were a terrible fashion idea. He looked pretty young if you put aside the scars, and his eyes were closed, so I couldn't see their color. But while everything else around him was pretty normal, there was one _teensy_ little problem. He had a singular, black tattoo on his shoulder. I couldn't see it, but it kinda looked like a mammoth, "Uuuuh, Captain?" Shanks' crewman asks, gulping, "Is that… what I think it is?"

"Yes," Shanks purses his lips, looking suddenly and worryingly worried and increasingly serious.

"What… should we do with him?" the crewman asks.

"Well, we did pull him from the ocean, so it would be cruel to just leave him to die," Shanks sighs, "Okay, take him below deck."

"But what if he-"

"I will take care of him myself," the Yonko locks eyes with his underling, and even I freeze due to the raw authority coming from the man, "But if he's from Kaido's crew-"

" _He's from Kaido's crew!?_ " I gape, interrupting my gracious host.

The one-armed former ship-boy just rolls his eyes, easing up on the seriousness for just a bit. "You're the salt of the sea, Kelly," he turns back to his man, "If he's from Kaido's crew, then that means that something must have happened to the ship carrying them, and since we know that Kaido came in after Lin Lin and Newgate started duking it out, it isn't likely that they were attacked before… hey, Kelly!" Shanks yells to me, "There were others on that Island, right?"

"Yeah! But they left," I reply, "Why?"

"If there were others, but they left, then that means they were probably driven out by Kaido's men," Shanks turns to me again, "Do you know who attacked you all?"

"Well, first, it was Cracker, but he brought a bunch of really lackluster minions!" I yell, "After him, Jack the Drought showed up! But also, shouldn't I just walk over to you so we aren't shouting?"

"No, that was the last thing!" he turns to his crewman, "Take Kelly with you. We'll need to move fast, and we can't have Kelly going overboard."

"You got it!" the man nods, picking up the Beast Pirate with little effort and walking to me.

"Benn!" Shanks turns to his friend, "Sail ready?"

"Been ready for the past five minutes," comes the reply.

"Okay!" Shanks says, and the crewman with the Beast Pirate finally reaches me.

"C'mon," he says, yanking open a trapdoor leading to a ladder, light spilling out, and the last thing I see before I delve into the bright belly of the beast was her Captain walking to Mihawk's door and knocking, "Climb down," I hear the crewman order from the bottom of the ladder, and I oblige.

We quickly made our way through the halls and rooms that made up the large, wooden ship, taking no detours. "So, what is life like on this ship?" I ask, and the crewman looks surprised, "What?"

"It's just…" he gulps, Kaido's minion bobbing up and down on his shoulder, "I didn't expect you to start talking…" he looks away from me, "Life's alright. A lot of parties, pretty hectic. Y'know, basic stuff."

"Hm…" I nod. This was getting awkward, _fast_. I had to do something, "Sooooo…" I crack my knuckles nervously, "What's, uh, your name?"

"I'd prefer not to say," he looks down, "But the Captain just calls me Rookie right now…"

"Oh? Why?" I ask, kinda curious.

"Well, I only joined up a couple weeks ago, so I haven't done much yet," the man rubs the back of his neck with his free hand, "But hey, it's not too bad."

"Yeah, I get that," I nod, "I've only been on my ship for a couple months, so I usually get called 'kid' most of the time, but I've gotten over it," my new acquaintance stops walking, and I halt in turn.

"Well, we're here," 'Rookie' says, and he points to a room, "Your stuff's in there. I helped Yasopp and Lucky find some room for it, if you were wondering."

"Alright! Thanks," I open the door, and am greeted with a fairly simple sight. The room was bare, only having an old-fashioned metal lamp that wouldn't look out of place in _Skyrim_ , which sat on a wooden end table, and a bed with white sheets and a pillow. My gear was tossed haphazardly onto the bed, with bullets spilling out of bandolier pouches, and my rifle was teetering over the edge, swaying with the ship. _Jeez, thanks for the care…_ I think, but as I take in even this simple sight, my eyes droop. It had been a chaotic few days, and my concern over my survival hadn't allowed me to sleep. Once I had arrived with Shanks, I'd talked and planned with him until nighttime, and then the whole Devil Fruit fiasco happened. It layman's terms: I felt more exhausted than I was after Karen's worst workouts. My thoughts obsessing over the soft sheets, I turn back to say thanks again to Rookie, but he was already down the hall, Kaido's man bobbing up and down on his back, eyes fixed on me- waitwhat?

I rub my eyes, thinking it was a hallucination, and when I reopen them, the man's eyes are closed. Suspicious. I would have to keep on my guard, just in case he was actually awake. I make my way into the room, I carefully remove my knives from my belt, setting them aside. Then, I check my rifle. Thankfully, the cartridges in the magazine were safe, and I quickly ejected them, in case they were faulty in some way, inserting new ones, closing the breach. Then, I placed it underneath my pillow as a precaution. I walk to the door, closing it, listening to the unfortunately silent creak as it closed. To remedy this, I go back to my bandoliers, grabbing them and placing them in front of the door. Opening said door back up and closing it again, I am satisfied to hear a fairly loud grinding noise as the leather rubs against the floor. Going back to the bed and extinguishing the lamp, I slid into the clean sheets and closed my eyes, trying to drift off to sleep. I was laying on my stomach, so that if anything went down, I would be able to have my hand under the pillow without suspicion. I hear the thud of boots through the halls as Rookie likely goes back up to the deck, and the creak of the ship as it rocks back and forth, back and forth. I could hear ticking in my brain, and so many thoughts were racing through my head I couldn't relax. Was the guy actually awake? Would he know what room I was in out of the dozens on the ship? Ah, that was a stupid question, he would've seen-

 _Scraaape_.

My eyes snap open as light floods into the room. _How long has it been?_ I think to myself, _It couldn't have been more than a few minutes!_ My body tenses, fingers wrapping around my rifle, prepared to spring up at a moments notice.

I don't hear any reaction to my little trick, but I can tell he's still by the door. Suddenly, from the silence, I hear the cock of a pistol.

 _He has a gun_ , my blood runs cold, _It would just take one shot to end me, my Iron Body isn't at a strong enough level._

'Devil Fruit?' a small voice in my head wonders, but I push that aside. Using my Devil Fruit would both be too dangerous in an enclosed, wooden environment. And I didn't even know how to use it properly yet. My heart was beginning to panic, pounding in my chest, and I was afraid he would realize I was awake from the sound. I needed to calm down.

I hear the man shift, and I feel a tingling sensation in the side of my head. Seconds turn into minutes, minutes seem to turn to hours. Then, the man shifts again, and the tingling goes away. My heart was still pounding, and I could hear him moving ever closer.

" _Haaaaah_ ," I slowly release a breath I didn't know I was holding, and the man freezes just at the foot of my bed.

 _Click_.

I feel the tingling return, and my mind races, trying to figure something out in order to get out of the situation. I then breathe in, long and deep, making it audible, and hold it for a couple seconds before exhaling in the same manner as before. _C'mon, take the bait…_ I clench my jaw, continuing to breathe.

"Really, dude?" the man says out of nowhere, his previous silence broken by a gravelly high baritone, "No one breathes like that when they sleep."

I swallow my pride, hoping that Shanks would be able to come down here and help me. "Shit, and here I was trying to be sneaky enough to surprise you."

" _Checece!_ Well, surprise, surprise," my attacker chuckles, "Now get out of the bed," he orders, "And if you even try to pull the weapon under your pillow on me, you're getting one right in the head," this guy seemed like he was fairly smart, but it sounded like he knew he had the advantage.

"Well, look at you, all smart and clever," I let go of my rifle, but not turning to the guy just yet, "How'd you know I have a weapon under my pillow?" I was trying my best to keep my cool.

"Well, I knew you'd seen me," he responds, and he just sounded like he was sneering, "And your knives you had on you were against the wall. That sound trap tipped me off, too," I was struck speechless, and the man laughs, "What do you take me for, an idiot? Anyone with half a brain cell could tell you were waiting for them!"

"Well," I search my brain for something that could piss him off. Yeah, it might screw me over, but if he got angry in a way that could benefit me… "Thinking that joining Kaido was a good idea means you only have that much of one," not my strongest insult, but much better than 'fuck you'.

"That was biting, sir," but instead of flipping out like I had hoped, he mocks me. Goddamnit, "But still, you're cheeky. I like that," I hear him crack his neck, "Turn and look at me. I wanna see your face before I kill you," I don't move, but not a second later, I feel a hand wrap around my left ankle, crushing it and igniting pain in my shrapnel wound, and I'm yanked off the bed before I can react, thrown to the floor.

" _Wah!_ " I gasp as I get tangled up in my sheets, " _Hrgh!_ " I recover, trying my best to ignore the new pain in my leg, and I try to free myself, thrashing every which way in a panic.

"Do what I say and you might live a little longer," the man presses his gun against my temple, and I freeze, hands and legs restricted by the blankets, "Get out of those sheets. Slowly," I oblige, taking my time, and I'm eventually free, and the man steps back, "Now, open the door and leave the room. I'll give you five seconds before I follow."

"What?" I blink in surprise, "Why?"

"I just want to have a little fun, maybe give you a fair chance," He shrugs, "But, ah, one thing before you leave…" he stops smiling, his eyes staring into mine. They were a dark and deep green, more so than Karen's, but there was a shine to them that reminded me of Haruta and Thatch, "Do you have a dream?" I simply sit there in confusion, "Answer the question."

"I…" I gulp. I didn't really have a dream, other than maybe just having fun and getting back home, but I didn't think that would be an answer he was looking for. That aside, Shanks should've sensed this, right? Where was he!?

-( **On Deck** )-

"So, Red-Hair, you want me to blow wind into the ship's sail with my blade?" Dracule Mihawk frowns, and Shanks absentmindedly nods. He was focused on what was going on below with that child, "If you won't talk with me, I'll leave. It was a childish plan anyways. Very much you."

"No, wait." the Yonko holds up a hand, stopping his former rival, "Watch this with me."

"Shanks, I thought you said you would interfere if that guy did anything crazy," Benn raises an eyebrow, "I don't see you moving."

"No, no, it just started getting interesting," Shanks shakes his head, "Kelly just got found out, and doesn't have a weapon, and now I think they're talking."

"You know you can't hear what they're saying, right?" Benn sighs, flicking his cigarette butt aside and pulling out a new one, flicking his lighter on and holding it to the end. After a long draught, he speaks up again, "It's pointless."

"Pointless? _Daha!_ " Shanks laughs, "No it isn't! I can finally see what Kelly can actually do! The guy he's against may seem all big and tough, but he isn't much physically stronger than the kid. Kelly, on the other hand, is smaller and faster, and has a Devil Fruit. It should be a fair enough fight as long as this guy doesn't know Haki."

"Hmm…" Mihawk sighs, "I suppose it would be a good time to test whether he's worth keeping alive…"

"Hey, if stuff goes too far, I'll be able to step in," the Yonko grins, "This guy seemed like the monologuer type from the moment I saw him, so I have a good ten seconds before Kelly is dead, even if he does trap the kid. I can get down there in five," he turns to Mihawk, "But hold off on that sail thing until the fight's done."

" _Hmph_ ," Benn puffs, "Have it your way…"

-( **Below Deck** )-

"I don't actually have a dream…" I reply, still trying to buy time, "But I have the feeling that you'll monologue about your own dream before you kill me, so how about you get that out of the way first?"

"You know," the man cocks his head and grins, reminding me of a certain Shonen anti-hero, "I know you're playing me, but you're right," he stands up and sits on the bed, the pistol still pointed in my direction, "Well, for starters, my name is Able. I'm seven foot six, twenty-four years old, and a member of Jack the Draught's fleet. I have a dick of an older brother named Krieg-"

"I didn't ask for your life story," I groan.

"Hey, I've never been able to tell anyone about my life, okay?" he huffs, "Cut me a break, people on my crew aren't exactly interested in any dreams other than the Captain's."

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, " _You and your stupid brown pants_."

" _WHAT WAS THAT!?_ " he suddenly roars, eyes twitching, and I see his finger begin to press on the trigger. Shanks had to have heard that.

"Okay, okay," I hold up my hands, gulping, "Your pants are fine…"

"Damn right they are," Able grunts, "Anyways, back to me. I lived in the East Blue for most of my life, but I left and joined my brother's crew when I was eighteen. After that, I became one of his two right-hand men, but left for Loguetown when I had a falling-out with the other guy, Gin. On my way to Loguetown, I made friends with some people, joining a small, ragtag crew, and we were able to make it all the way to the Grand Line, so our Captain could fulfill his dream of killing a Yonko and taking his place!" he smiles, starting to get lost in the story, and I think over my options. I could either try to slip out, which would probably end with me being shot, or stay here and listen and hope that Shanks would get here in time. Well, I technically had a third option, which would be to call for help, but I'd probably be dead.

"-After that, we found this weird talking skeleton on this ghost ship in the middle of a huge fog place but said 'fu-u-uck _that_ ' and left-"

 _What will I do after he's done with the story, though?_ I can feel my head pumping blood as I think, _Should I just stay here until… whatever happens? Or at least try to win?_

"-Once we made it to Fishman Island, the Captain had a scuffle with that one Warlord, what's-his-name, but we got out of there-"

 _I could use my Devil Fruit and blind him,_ I think to myself, _But then what? Do I try to get my stuff? I could just try to run, but I have no idea what he can do…_

"-But he knew my crew wasn't ready, so he told us to go back, and he went to find Kaido alone, but _I_ said screw it and went with him. Even though I had armament Haki, _I_ didn't even make it past Sheepshead: our Captain died to Jack. That's how I got my scars!" Able grins, seeming proud of the disfigurements, "But, Jack liked the cut of my jib, and took me on as one of his guys. Now, I'm just waiting for a chance to take out Kaido and steal the crew as revenge for the Captain."

"Y-" I blink, staring at him like he was an idiot, "You know that his crew probably wont like you, right?"

"Oh, I know," Able's grin morphs to a smirk, "But think about it like this: if I can take out Kaido, what can the rest of the crew hope to do against me?"

"I mean, you're right, but…" I try to think of a way out of this.

"Ah, man," the Beast Pirate sighs, "Like, it was pretty obvious that you haven't been listening, but it still feels great to finally tell someone."

"Was it that obvious?" I ask him, and he nods.

"About as obvious as you trying to play me," he shakes his head, but brings the pistol back up, "But, are you going to get this show on the road, or what?"

"In a minute, but first," I try one last plot for time, "I want to know how you keep doing that. Are you using Haki?"

"What, how I 'seemingly know' what you're trying to do?" Able just grins, "It's just like chess and poker, kid. I'm just watching your every move."

"But how did you get to this point?" I ask, "You're too good at this."

"Well, I have been on the seas for six years," he shrugs, waving the gun around, "I simply practiced and watched people at every opportunity. It's just like that old saying goes: Marineford wasn't built in a day. "

"Don't you mean Rome?" I raise and eyebrow.

"The fuck is 'Rome'?" he flicks the barrel of his pistol to the door, "Now get moving. I don't have all day."

"I'm not ready yet," I say, "I need more time," That was a lie. I already knew what I was going to do.

"Bullcrap," Able scoffs, "You've had a while to think about it. Now move, I'm losing my patience."

"Yeah, yeah," I take a deep breath before turning around and taking a step out of the door.

"One…" I hear the pirate say, and I quickly start pounding my feet down the hall, "Two…" but, I soon turn around, taking each step carefully, hitting them to the floor softer each time, "Three," I hear a rustling noise from the room, "So he ran? Just like I thought. Four…" I clench my fists, and the dark liquid comes out, covering my palms and dripping onto the floor. I brace myself, "Five," I see his sandal-clad foot step through the doorframe, and I lunge forward, reaching my hand up to hit his face.

 _Crack!_ /" _Gah!_ "

I stumble back, my vision having gone blank for a moment there, and I fall back on my ass. What the hell had just happened? "You know, kiddo, you could've just ran, but I didn't think you would stop running," I look up to see Able holding his pistol by the barrel, having hit me in the face with it.

" _Rrgh_ ," I growl, clenching my fists. He was just asking for it, but I couldn't beat him like this. I had to get his weapon off of him, " _You call this a fair chance!?_ " I bark, "You have a gun! I only have my fists!"

He looks at the gun in his hands, cocking his head to the side. "You know what? You're right," he drops the weapon, and it clatters to the ground, "I'll just beat you to a pulp with my fists."

"Come on then," I put my own fists up, "Let's go."

"Your move, brat," he does the same, and I search for some kind of opening. He was in a standard boxing stance, but his defense looked tight, like a walnut. He was constantly shuffling, never stopping, and his large arms provided a lot of area over his head and torso, and I could feel the power they held from here. I was reminded a lot of Karen, both with the intimidation factor and the way he was moving. Plus, he was taller than me, which meant that he had more reach and could hit parts of me that I couldn't reciprocate. I knew that if he attacked, I would be stuck on the defensive for the entire brawl, and since he was giving me the first shot, I had a chance.

" _Rrraaaaagh!_ " I roar, charging forward, and try to crack the walnut open. I slam my hands into his arms with every bit of power I had, not letting up. I was half tempted to scream something with each hit like a shonen character _,_ but that felt a bit cheesy, " _Haaaah!_ " I bellow, my final hit hooking below his elbows and into his gut, which I feel cave just the slightest bit before it hardened into something like a brick wall, the vibrations reverberating through to my shoulder. _Ugh!_ I retreat, my arm feeling numb, and I fall into a defensive form. Karen's defensive techniques were a lot more polished than her offensive ones, so I mainly stuck to what she taught when on the defensive, and stuck to my own mixed martial arts whenever I attacked. Unfortunately, it looked like I would have to be on the backfoot.

"Ooooh," Able rubs his stomach, "I wasn't expecting that one. Nice hit."

"Thanks," I grin hesitantly at my foe, his large form blocking the hallway keeping me from utilizing my smaller size, "You're like a brick wall."

"Yep," he grins, "But, you wasted your turn, now it's mine," he lunges forward, jabbing at me, and I jump back, doubting that I could dodge in time, "Stand still!"

" _No!_ " I keep jumping back.

"Damn brat!" he lunges again, twisting his body and using his back hand. But, I was ready, and I twisted my own body before-hand, his arm sliding against my gut, and I wrap my left arm around his, holding my right arm up and readying my elbow.

"Suck it, one-arm!" I yell, bringing it down.

"But I have two arms-" He says, but stops as my elbow hits his forearm, and I feel a light _crack_. Not enough to break it. Damn, "..." he simply stares at me with a murderous glare, and I unwrap my arm, jumping back before he hits me, "I… will be honest. I did not expect you to do that," he rubs his wrist, "Where did you learn that move?"

"I got taught it," I gulp. That didn't do shit, it seems.

"Ah," he nods. He didn't actually seem too angry, more impressed, "I've been to a few underground MA schools in Wano, and they teach stuff like that. You must be lucky to learn it outside of that place."

"I… guess, yeah," this was just bizarre. I was having a normal conversation with a guy who wanted to beat me to a bloody pulp. I guess there's a first time for everything. I wasn't even sure if he was a bad person myself. He did give me a fair chance even though I was at his mercy. It must take one hell of a person to do that.

"Well, I relish the challenge," he grins, cracking his neck, and I get ready again. He knew what I was doing, from the sound of it, so I would just have to be careful, "Here I come, kid!" he grins, and he throws another cross. Ready, I dodged to the-

 _Bap-THUD_.

" _Hurgh!_ " I stumble back in shock as his left hand comes out of nowhere, catching my cheek, followed up when he pulls back his cross and throws it into my gut: a feint. And that hit my knife wound from those ninja guys, which I was _just_ reminded of.

"Now _that_ ," he nods in satisfaction as I cough spit onto the ground, "Is how you throw a goddamn punch."

" _That… was… cheesy… as… fuck…_ " I pant, pushing myself to my feet.

"Hey, it works," Able shrugs, and he walks forward, swinging yet another cross. My eyes snap to his other hand, but he follows through with his initial attack, catching me in the cheek, "So, are you gonna dodge, or…?" He asks sarcastically as I stagger, "Because as much as I'm enjoying _throwing_ you around," on _throwing_ he grabs my hair and spins, sending me tumbling to the floor, "I'm getting bored."

"Yeah. Sure you are…" I groan, opening my eyes. I was on my side, turned away from him, but I could see the flintlock pistol ahead of me. A spark. Something I could light my 'Fuel' with. But if I went for it, he would probably get me. But, if I got the gun, I could shoot him and use the sparks from the flint to light my fuel at the same time, in case he used armament Haki. Then, it hits me, and I clench my fist.

"So, I think I might just end this little scuffle here," Able muses, "It's been fun, kid."

-( **Above Deck** )-

"Welp, the kid's dead," Benn puffs on his cigarette, "It's now or never, Captain."

"Hold on," Shanks holds up his hand, "I believe in the kid."

"Well, you could at least go down there and interfere if you _think_ he'll die," the Yonko's first mate suggests.

"...Yeah, you're right," not a moment later, the spot Shanks had been in was vacant, and the hatch to the ship was blown open.

"Seriously…" Benn sighs, blowing a ring of smoke, "What would he do without me?"

-( **Below Deck** )-

"So, any last words?" Able asks me as his foot is placed on my head.

"Yeah," I say, grinning. I had a handful of black liquid, " _Solar Flare!_ " I bark, opening my hand, flicking the fuel into his face.

"But it's nightti- _AH!_ " he roars as the fuel lands in his eyes, and he staggers back, " _BITCH! BIIIITCH!_ "

Now was my chance. I lunge for the flintlock, grabbing the grip with my left hand - my right had the fuel - and I spin, trying to aim with it. _This thing has no sights!_ I grit my teeth, trying my best to line up a shot as Able wipes away the last of the fuel. I place my right hand over the flint, and get ready.

"You little shit!" Able roars, staring at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Suck it, motherfucker!" I yell, and I pull the trigger.

The pistol bucks, sparks flying. There are two flashes of light as the bullet leaves the barrel, the sparks from the flintlock setting my hand alight, and I see a flower of red burst from Able's shoulder. Throwing aside the pistol, I charge at the pirate as he clutches his arm, an expression of bewilderment on his face, and I feel a tingling all the way up my right arm. "You-!"

" _SHUT THE HELL UP!_ " I roar, and I clench my fist, fuel spurting out of my hand, encasing it in fire, and I make it to my foe, slamming the flame into his gut.

" _Huuuuuuugh!_ " Able gasps, and I can feel my fist bury itself into him, " _Hagh!_ " he coughs, and the tingling in my arm intensifies until it feels as if it's bursting.

" _Rrrrrgh!_ " I growl, reaching deep into my gut, pulling out every bit of resolve and focus I have, and I pull back, " _GO! TO! HELL!_ " I bellow, and I feel a sensation like water bursting from my elbow. I feel a small tingling as heat spreads from my hand through my entire arm, and I rear back-

 _THUD_.

And lunge forward with twice as much force, pushing into the Beast Pirate's stomach. Then, I stop as Able hunches forward, collapsing onto me. " _Aah!_ " I cry out as the flames in my arm are snuffed out, and I am pinned under the man's weight.

"Well…" I hear Able wheeze, "That… was… unexpected…" he coughs up onto the ground, "If… I… had… known… I… would've… used… Haki… _ugh_ …" he sighs, and goes limp.

"..." I sit there, very uncomfortable, but with a sense of victory. Really, it was the first time I had won a fight on my own, without any help, "Is anyone there?" I ask out, "I need help getting out from under this seven foot man."


	33. Chapter 32: Flashback part 1

Chapter 32

 **AN: I'm feeling like a broken record right now. I've been saying that I'll improve the time frames between each chapter, but each time, life has thrown a couple curveballs my way. I didn't think that this would be such a big change, but school suddenly became a lot more serious. I'm just going to post whenever I can with my limited time. Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 32

-( **Haruta** )-

 _Knock knock_. A fist raps on my door, snapping me out of my nap. _Damn it,_ I sigh, _Can't I catch a friggin break around here?_ I sweep aside the sheets I'm curled up in, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I didn't know how long I was asleep. Two, maybe three hours? It made me feel a bit better, but I was still pretty sore from that whole battle before, and I wasn't in the mood for any bullshit. My left hand and forearm were aching, and I look at the bandages. My chest was hurting, everything I had seen happen weighing me down. Damn that sheep bastard… "What is it?" I croak as I feel my way through the darkened room, the only light coming from a small porthole above the bed, casting reddening shadows as the sun sets beyond. My eyes were tired from lack of sleep, and I squint as I open the door, yellow lamplight flooding in.

"Hey, Kiddo," 'Disco Blade' Thatch nods, a much more solemn and serious look on his usually cheerful face, "How's it going."

"No," I grit my teeth, still pissed at him and myself for failing Kelly, and try to slam the door in his face, but he sticks his hand in the doorway, and I slam it onto his fingers.

" _Ssssssss,_ " he hisses, working his jaw, and he easily forces through the door even though I was holding it closed, "I'm coming in," he stares me down, and I stare back with all my resolve.

"...Fine," I give in, his attitude right now more than enough to scare me, and he strides in, "So, what do you want?" I demand, laying back down in my bed.

"I want to talk about what happened on Geas," the cook sits at the mattress' foot, his eyes bagged from exhaustion.

"What, about how you left the youngest member of our crew on a burning island?" I scoff.

 _And about how you sat there without even trying to help?_

"Stop that," he mutters, staring at the ground. I couldn't tell what was going on in his head, but it was pissing me off how he was ordering me around like that after he had the _audacity_ to go and do that.

"You could've helped him," I retort, my mind searching for someone to shove the blame onto.

You _could have._

" _Shut up and listen_ ," he suddenly snaps, and I stop, "I'm here because I want to know what happened before I arrived, and explain what happened after that lead me to do all this."

"Why?" I scoff, not really wanting to hear his bullcrap, "I'm not telling."

"Why do you have to be so difficult?" he asks, and my eye twitches.

"Why did you have to leave my only other friend in this division on a destroyed island?" I bite back.

 _Why did_ you _leave him?_

"..." Thatch just sits there, staring at the ground.

"See, you're all talk!" I bark, "The minute I'm back to one hundred percent, I'm going above deck and attacking those idiots chasing us, since you're so scared to do it yourself. Now get out."

"..." he still just sits there, ignoring me.

"Hello?" I growl, "Didn't you hear me!?"

"Pick up your sword and come with me," he pushes himself off the bed, and walks to the door, but I defy him, staying on my bed, " _Now,_ " he orders, glancing back, and I see a steely glare in his eye. I gulp as a feeling of dread slowly creeps into my chest, threatening to swallow me. I oblige, grasping _Ikari_ 's sheath and following him. I had never seen him like this.

We stride through the halls, student and master, the latter knowing where he is going and the former completely clueless. As we walk, I see small groups of the now homeless people of Geas, and a pang of guilt and anger jolts through me, adding to the weight. But with Thatch acting like this, I was too intimidated to say anything to them. Imma be honest here, I was kind of scared. In all eight months I had been his pupil, he had rarely been serious, if at all, but this was a whole other side to him. "We're here," the disco-themed swordfighter mutters as he opens a door, and we step into an open room, similar to the training one back on the _Moby_.

"Training?" I make a small quip, a minor attempt to lighten the serious mood, even though my heart wasn't into it, "What kind of training can we do right now?" but he ignores me again, to my chagrin, and simply walks to the center of the room, back turned.

"Kill me," his voice is quiet, and I can't quite make out what he had said. I heard him say to _kill_ him. He must have said something else.

"Woah, look," I raise an eyebrow in surprise, "I can _grill_ you later, if that's what you want, but-"

"I," he turns, eyes pinning mine, "Want you," he turns to me, arms crossed, the bags under his eyes only hammering the words home, "To _kill_ me."

"..." I stand there, jaw wide, "You can't be serious!"

"Completely," he glares at me, "I'm unarmed, alone, and tired. It should be easy for you, right?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Then what are you waiting for?" he stands straight, "Come on."

"..." I work my jaw, a varied flow of emotions clouding my head. Anger, fear. Guilt, "Alright. 'If you insist'," I casually stride up to him, _Ikari_ drawn, and stand there.

"Well, are you going to take a swipe?" he raises an eyebrow, that serious look still on his face, and I sigh.

"Whatever," I take a half-assed try at thi-

 _Crack_.

" _D-ah!_ " I careen back, crashing to the floor as a fist enters my vision, and pain bursts from my nose, blood spattering the field. _The fuck!?_ I blink, shaking myself out. That single hit had snapped me back, my mind going blank.

"What's wrong?" Thatch asks, "Where's all that usual cocky attitude?"

"Did you…?" I clutch my face, "Did you just punch me!? How? _When?_ "

"You couldn't see my fist?" the usually all-smiles Thatch had a crooked sneer on his face, "How about I slow it down for you next time?" he falls into a low stance, hands up.

 _This is bad..._ I look at his eyes, and they show nothing but fury and bloodlust, _He's actually serious about this,_ I watch with fearful eyes as his fists mold into black mauls, the gleaming haki spreading to his entire arm. But, it didn't go any further. I look at Thatch, and his jaw was working. Then, the black retreats, focusing around his hands, _What?_ I blink in confusion, _I swear he could do his whole arms before-_

 _Crack_.

My attention snaps back to where Thatch is, or rather, _was_. "Surprise," my blood runs cold as that voice sounds out behind me, and I turn to see a black fist rearing back.

 _Shitshitshitshitshit!_ I leap back, wide awake and tense now. I skid across the floor, my loose shirt being torn at by the a-

 _Fwump_.

A fist buries itself in my gut, knocking the wind out of me. I'm thrown back, this new relentless side giving me no quarter. I tumble across the floor, vision flickering in and out as I try to comprehend what the actual _fuck_ was going on. I cough up spit every other bounce, resisting the urge to hurl.

 _Skreeeeeet!_

I feel my shoes burning away as I catch myself, grinding to an upright halt. "That is _it!_ " I wipe the spittle from my mouth, "You're not getting another hit on me!" That was a lie. After that first exchange, I knew I was fucked. He was stronger, faster, and more skilled than I was. But why was he doing this? I knew that he was better, was it all just to show the gap between us? To rub it in?

"Here I come," Thatch says, and he rushes at me, black fists raised. Shoving all my doubt into the corner of my mind, I get ready.

 _If I can just get one_ Tempest _off on him… but would that even work?_ That small voice in my head puts doubt in me, but I shake it aside. I get ready to jump, using my agility to get the advantage. He closes the distance quickly, rushing me at a ridiculous speed. _Now!_ I leap up, twisting in the air once he's ten feet away. He glances up at me, and his arm begins moving. " _Tempest!_ " I roar, stabbing down as fast as I could. The thing about being in such close quarters was that he couldn't move fast enough to use Observation Haki at its most useful. Not having completely mastered it yet, it was a worse situation for me than him. But if I could just get this first hit on his shoulders...

 _Clang-skrrrrrrt!_

 _Ikari_ screeches as black digits wrap themselves around it's blade, and the saber is suddenly yanked, pulling me down to the ground.

 _Crash!_

I slam into the ground, feeling my bones creak. The air is quickly forced from my lungs, and I gasp for air. In my surprise, I loosen my grip on _Ikari,_ and the saber is yanked from my hand. " _Haaaaaah…_ " I groan, unable to move. My vision was flickering - I had been completely taken off-guard.

"You were too slow, there, kiddo," I hear Thatch say, and a hand enters my vision, offering to help me up. Not being able to move and not wanting charity, I don't take it, "Ah, damn," Thatch grunts sarcastically, "I was too harsh, huh?"

" _Hrrgh…_ " I grunt as I try to move. Every inch of me stung, and it felt like my bones were ringing, the numb sensation driving me crazy. I needed to scratch _everything!_

"Well, Haruta," Thatch squats down next to me, "Let me tell you something. Your style relies on speed, so you don't get hit, like me. If you _are_ hit, though, you lose a lot of potency. What just happened tells me you aren't ready to become one of the five top commanders," he points to the back of the ship, "If you were to go out there and attack Jack, you might be able to do some damage, but you'd be dead within five minutes."

" _Rrrgh,_ " I growl. This was pissing me off. He had this much up his sleeve? I couldn't even touch him! "You've been holding out on me…"

"Aaaaand you aren't even listening to me," Thatch sighs, holding out his hand, "How stubborn can you get?"

"How could you move so fast!?" I brush him aside, more humiliated than angry now, and I pull myself out of the floor, "Why were you so strong!?"

" _Ugh_ ," he groans, dragging a hand down his face, "You know what? Fine," he stands up, smoothing out the creases in his white cook's outfit, "Haruta, if I went at you one hundred percent every time we sparred, you would be dead by now," the Commander states plainly, "I only did this now to teach you one thing: that fighting isn't always the best choice," he scowls, "You always go into fights head-first, without thinking about your opponent's strengths."

"You do that-!" I begin to retort, but Thatch puts up his finger.

" _I'm not done_ ," he scowls, and I gulp, going silent, "Thank you. As I was _saying_ , you never think on your opponent's strengths. With that beast thing?" he raises a brow, and my head aches just remembering that thing, "You did pretty well with that. You formulated a plan, executed, and tried to adjust. But that was five months ago, when you were still in the mindset of being careful. But now?" he spreads out his arms, pompadour bobbing, "Now you've completely forgotten that! From what Atlas told me, you left the group to go fight Cracker alone, and without hesitation! _Why!?_ "

"..." I take in what he was saying.

"Wash told me that Cracker was pretty much untouched when he and Kelly found you, while you looked like you had the shit beat out of you," he facepalms, and at the mention of Kelly, I feel more weight falling on my chest, "And now, when you're in the state you're in, you want to go fight _Jack!?_ That's why I beat you down, Haruta! You're overestimating yourself."

I furrow my eyebrows. "..."

"Haruta, you are one of the most skilled swordsmen on the _Moby_ ," my mentor says, and I blink. First, he was chewing me out, but now he was complimenting me? "You practice almost every day, and work from dawn to dusk. Your form is your own, and your reflexes are good. I've said this before and I'll say it again: You're at lower Commander level. But you always go in over your head once you lose control of a situation."

"..." I sit there, staring at the ground. With everything new, I realized he was right. The Beast, Cracker, even Sheepshead. Each one I went in overestimating what I could do, and with each, I paid. As I thought, I felt my throat tighten, and my eyes began to cloud up as I finally gave into it, and I hunch over, fat orbs rolling down my cheeks.

 _It's all your fault_ , that voice of doubt in my head mocks me, and my face twists, _You stood by and look what happened._

"Woah- _Haruta!_ ' Thatch's tone shifts from an exasperated teacher to that of a worried father, "I'm sorry- I didn't mean-"

"You're right, _pfehe_ ," I shake, clutching at my chest, "I go into things without thinking, and that gets those around me hurt."

"Haruta…" the Commander puts a hand on my shoulder, "What's wrong?"

" _It's my fault…_ " I curl up, " _It's my fault…_ "

"Haruta…" Thatch's tone is almost scared, "Please, talk to me."

"I stood there and did nothing-" I sob, grasping at my hair, "I'm useless-!"

 _Smack!_

I sit there, stunned, as my cheek stings. "Haruta!" Thatch barks, and then he softens, "Tell. Me. What's. Wrong. You aren't doing yourself any good by bottling it all up."

"..."

"Haruta-"

"It was back on Geas," I start, everything flooding back to me, "Back when Kelly, that girl and I were fighting Sheepshead…"

-( **Geas, one day ago** )-

"Fight starts now," I hear the feral voice of that damned sheep-guy- _thing_ , and I spin around to see him standing behind Kelly. The sight of the white mass behind my friend sent spikes of fear stabbing into my heart, and I knew kelly couldn't take it if he got hit.

" _Kelly!_ " I scream as Sheepshead rears back one of his huge hand-horns, and it is brought down with a hard _crack_ , striking the side of Kelly's skull. In a panic, I tap into Observation Haki, and I see Kelly's aura-thing flicker. He was unconscious before he even hit the ground, " _You bastard!_ " I scream, a new flow of rage surging into my systems, " _Aaaaa-_ guh?" I try to lunge towards him, but I collapse to one knee, my exhaustion kicking in full force. Every inch of my body was aching, each tendon loosening, each movement excruciating. I was at the end of my strength.

"Wha-?" Sheepshead flinches at my movement, preparing for the worst, his strange, split skin stretched along his 'horns' - What the hell was that grotesque Devil Fruit? " _Bababa! Baaaababa!_ Oh, this is just _hilarious!_ " the Headliner bursts into maniacal laughter, "You talked so big before, yet you're almost completely helpless? It's a wonder you Whitebeards have been around for as long as you have at all!" he grins, walking towards me, "Now, once I kill you, no one can stop me! I'll find those stupid cowards that were hiding in that cave and paint them all _red_."

"Excuse me?" a feminine voice sounded from a few feet away, "My friends and family are with them! I won't let you!"

 _Oh, right, her_ , I glance over to my ally. What was her name again? Rye, Rice? I didn't remember. "Hey, what's your name again?" I ask, not caring about manners at a time like this.

"Rhea," she glances at me, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," I pant, the arm holding _Ikari_ shaking, "Just… tired…"

"So, you think you can protect your stupid little island?" Sheepshead sneers, "Oh, _please_. A cow like you-" Rhea twitches, and I can see her face contorting into one of rage, "-couldn't protect an island like this. I doubt you could even-"

"Shut the fuck up, bo peep," I growl, "God, it's guys like you that gives us pirates a bad name. All bark and no bite."

" _Excuse me!?_ " the were-sheep roars, wheeling on me, " _What did you say you hapless little shit!?_ "

Feeling was slowly returning to my legs. Once I was ready, I could take him. Just a little longer… "I said that you're all bark and no bite."

" _RrrrrRRRRGH!_ " he lurches forward, but stops himself, "Oh! Oh-ho- _ho!_ I see what's going on here," he narrows his eyes, "You're trying to get me to lose my cool."

 _Not that you had any in the first place…_ I think to myself, _Well, might as well see where this goes…_ "Damn, and I thought it would work, too," I smirk, playing along. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that Rhea girl sneaking back into the trees. Hopefully she could pull her weight, or at least get Kelly out of here.

"Well, I'm not playing into your hand, brat," the Headliner smirks back, "Instead, I'm going to make sure you play into _my_ hand…" he glances to where Kelly was sprawled on the ground, unconscious, his face caked in grime and sand, "Maybe I'll just-"

"Try anything and you're _dead_ ," I growl, clenching _Ikari_.

" _Bababa!_ " Sheepshead cackles with glee, slowly prowling over to my friend, "Does it piss you off when I take steps towards this weakling?" he giggles.

" _What did I say…_ " I seethe, my heart beginning to pound.

"Or…" he is standing over the honey-blonde sharpshooter, " _This!?_ " the Headliner yanks back his hoof and drives it into Kelly's gut, causing his limp form to spasm.

" _YOU GET AWAY FROM HIM!_ " I roar, beginning to charge, but I stumble, tumbling to the ground.

"..." Sheepshead looks at me, his body tensed, but face looking befuddled, "Holy crap, you really _are_ on your last legs! _Baba!_ "

"I swear…" I wheeze, "If you hurt him any more, I'll-"

"You'll _what?_ " Sheepshead cuts me off, "Flail at me like a drunken toddler? Drag yourself over me when I fall asleep from _boredom_ and suffocate me?" he grins sadistically, walking over to me, morphing back into his human form, the wool retreating back under his skin, "Face it, you're going to die here, and I-" he picks up _Ikari_ , "-am going to enjoy every. Single. Second."

"What-" I blink, confused, as he walks over to Kelly, " _What are you doing!?_ "

"Oh, relax," Sheepshead's voice sounds, thickly coated with ecstasy, and he raises the blade, "I'm just going to _stab_ him," as he says it, my mind goes blank, and I stagger up, sprinting towards my friend. I had to protect him.

 _Shink._

" _Hnnngh_ ," I grunt as the blade strikes my left forearm, stopping as it hits my bone.

"What the-" Sheepshead blinks in surprise as he glances to where I had been, "When-"

I grab _Ikari_ by the blade with my right hand, drawing blood and yanking it out of the Headliner's hand. I flip the blade around, grabbing by the hilt, my crimson liquid dripping down the glinting steel. "Get the hell out of my sight before I _kill_ you."

 _Crunch_.

Sheepshead jumps back, a grotesque sound heralding his transformation back into his first Zoan form. " _Hngh_ ," he winces, but recovers, "So, you can fight after all, punk!"

"Yeah, and I'm ready for you now," I grit my teeth, readying myself.

"Unfortunately for you…" the sheep-man growls, "You just got in the way of my fun," a scowl mars his face, and I can feel piercing eyes beneath those blackened goggles, " _I'll kill you!_ " he rushes me, those spiral horns stabbing.

I tried to move _Ikari_ to block, but I felt sluggish, like the saber weighed hundreds of pounds. _Crap! This is bad…_ my eyes widen as my foe closes in, and I instead have to move my hand. " _Gah!_ " I grunt as the tip of the horn digs into my hand, pinning it to my shoulder. I am sent flying back, tumbling to the ground as what energy I had left. I didn't get it! I had taken the time, why was I so weak?

"Huh?" Sheepshead cocks his head in legitimate surprise, "What the fuck?"

" _Haaaaaaaa!_ " I hear a scream from the trees, and I look up to see that Rhea girl dropping out of the leaves, directly above Sheepshead.

 _Thud._

" _Bababa!_ Nice try!" Sheepshead cackles with glee as he swings around, clobbering the girl's skull with his horns, sending her sprawling into the mud, "This is the most fun I've had in weeks! _Bababa!_ "

" _Ungh_ …" Rhea groans, trying to struggle up, but she slumps to the ground, unconscious. Damnit.

"But _you!_ " Sheepshead wheels on me, a look of fury on his face, "You gave me a challenge! A fight! _You interrupted my joy_ ," his scowl disappears, "But now, you're plum out of luck, and your life is in my hands!"

 _Damnit!_ I clench my fists, trying to struggle up, but to no avail, _Why can't I_ do _anything!? I was bodying him before! What changed!?_

"Now, how to _torture_ you?" Sheepshead meanders around the clearing, the moon shining down on him, and he smirks at me, "I think we both know the _best_."

 _No…_ I try to speak, but I can't. My throat felt like it was being choked, everything shutting down.

He was going to go for Kelly.

"You know, I put this guy through the ringer," Sheepshead sneers as he looks at my honey-headed friend. Kelly was my responsibility, I had to protect him! He was weak, just barely passing the threshold of early paradise Captain. Sure, he could take New world mooks if he had the element of surprise, and he could do beta versions of some of the six powers thanks to that one redhead bitch, but he couldn't protect himself from people like this! I had to-

 _Thud._

" _Graaaaah!_ " I roar as Sheepshead plants a foot into Kelly's side, sending him tumbling across the clearing, " _Stop it!_ "

"Oh?" the Headliner wheels on me, "And what are you going to do if I don't?" I have no answer, only seething and foaming at the mouth, "Exactly," he smirks, stalking over to my fallen friend and grabbing him by the leg, "This is for shooting me, you little shit!" he tosses Kelly like a ragdoll into the darkness, and I can hear his body crash through the underbrush, "Ah, damn," the were-sheep scowls, "I shouldn't play with my food like that," he starts to go after Kelly, and not a moment later, I see my friend tossed back into full view, blood caking him.

 _No,_ I close my eyes, trying to force the scene from my mind, _No. This isn't happening, this isn't happening!_

 _Thud_.

I hear the sound of his body being struck. _No_.

 _Thud._

 _No!_

 _Thud._

 _NO!_

" _Huhn,_ " I hear a faint grunt, and my heart is crushed.

 _Thud._

" _Ah,_ " another grunt. He was in pain. He could feel it, and I couldn't do _anything!_

 _Thud._

" _Agh!_ " I can feel the impacts now, each one slamming another anvil on my chest.

 _Thud._

" _AUGH!_ " I can hear Kelly screaming now, and I finally snap open my eyes. Sheepshead was kicking him, and Kelly's eyes were opened. There wasn't a glint of knowledge in those eyes - he was still unconscious! He was just in so much pain his body was reacting on it's own! And I was just laying here, doing _nothing!_

" _STOP IT!_ " I scream, fat orbs of salty tears streaming down my face, " _STOP! PLEASE!_ "

" _Ah!_ " Sheepshead grunts in ecstacy, " _Yes! This is what I live for!_ Let me hear your agony, your rage, your grief! Your-"

 _Crack_.

" _Gah!_ " the headliner grunts as a stone strikes him in the side of the head, " _Alright, who has the balls!?_ "

"Come get me!" the voice of that Rhea girl calls from the direction of the beach.

" _Rrrrgh!_ " Sheepshead growls, and wheels on me, " _You'd better not move,_ " with that, he bounds away into the brush.

" _Huh… huh_ …" I gasp for air, staring ahead at Kelly's limp form. _Kelly…_ I grit my teeth, my tears stinging my cheeks, _I'm sorry_ … I hear a cannon boom in the distance, firelight flickering over the trees. The sound of screaming, the shaking of the ground, the shining of the moon broken by clouds, _I need to help him_ , I drag myself to my honey-haired friend, each movement excruciating and exhausting. Once I make it, I grit my teeth and struggle up, my legs shaking. Grabbing Kelly's arm, I slowly drag him along with me, knowing that I'm on a timer. I move my friend a few meters through the mud into the forest, away from the clearing. Once I find a good place, a slight indent in the ground, I lather him in mud, knowing Sheepshead would try to smell him out, and cover him with leaves and branches from plants and bushes. Even if he could use Observation, he wouldn't find an unconscious Kelly. Then, I stagger onwards, so that even if that _bastard_ found me, I would be far enough that he wouldn't discover where I hid Kelly from him. Eventually, though, Sheepshead returned.

"That damn girl, she got away…" Sheepshead growls, then goes silent, " _Where did you go!?_ " I hear his roar of anger, and I grit my teeth, using the last of what I have to hide behind a tree, "I can _smell you~_ " I hear leaves crunching and trees cracking as he makes his way towards me.

" _Disco Fever!_ " I hear a familiar voice yell, but my brain was too tired to think about who it was.

 _Hssssss_ /" _WHAT THE FUCK-?!_ "

 _Crash_.

"Ugh, my hea-" Sheepshead voice freezes, "No. _No._ You stay the _hell_ away from me!"

"Tell me where Jack is," the voice growls, " _Now_."

"No," the Headliner begins to panic, " _Nonononono!_ "

 _Shnk_.

" _AAAAAAAAUGH!_ " I hear Sheepshead scream, and I hear as he crashes to the ground, " _My hand!_ "

"Tell me where Jack is," the voice growls, "This is your last chance. The next cut is along your neck."

"St-" Sheepshead stumbles through the brush, " _Stay back!_ "

" _Boo,_ " the voice huffs, and Sheepshead is broken.

" _Captain Jaaaaaack!_ " he screeches, and I can hear his crashing through the forest.

"Ah, jeez," the voice grumbles, "He left his hand. Raver, follow his trail."

"Like a real life hunter, Thatch," I hear more rustling as something bounds off in the direction Sheepshead went.

"God, this is just a clusterfuck right now," the voice makes its way to me, "Christ, Haruta!" he rushes to my side, "What the hell happened!?"

"...Thatch?" I blink as I see the face of my teacher looking down on me, and a burst of energy wakes me up, "Oh my god, Thatch!" I try to reach out for him, but I couldn't lift my arms.

"Ugh," the Commander reels back, "What happened to _you?_ "

"It'll… take a while…" the energy fades, and I feel just as shitty as before.

"Take a while…?" Thatch raises an eyebrow, "Haruta, what are you saying? Haru… come… you need…" I have difficulty focusing, and my vision flickers.

 _Kelly…_ was my last thought before my mind faded out, _Gotta tell him… where Kelly… is…_

 _I'm sorry._

-( **Current Day - Haruta** )-

"So, yeah," I sigh, "That's what happened."

"..." Thatch sits there, a mixed expression of guilt, rage, and shock on his face.

"..." I sit there, awaiting a response, but it was clear one wasn't coming. _This is all my fault…_

 _Fwump_.

My mind goes blank as two large, strong arms wrap themselves around me, smelling of smoked meat and cologne. _What-?_

"Haruta," Thatch says as I sit there, shocked, "Do you want to know why I decided to take you under my wing?"

"I…"

"It's because I saw something in you," my teacher pats my head, pulling away, "I saw a kid who had the determination to push himself to his limits and beyond, someone who could be one of the best fighters on the crew. Someone who had the qualities of a great leader, but didn't have the mental aptitude to become one."

 _I'm not sure if he's complimenting me or insulting me…_ I blink.

"Yesterday, you fought for nearly the entire day. You took on someone of my level from another crew and _didn't die_. You ended up doing that for literal hours, and helped hold off the first waves of Jack's men. Then, you went back and fought Sheepshead while you were already exhausted, and while you got your ass kicked, you risked your life to save that of a friend," he puts his hand on my shoulder, "I'm proud of you. Even though you should have thought more about taking on Cracker alone, I'm proud of you."

"But…" I start, but Thatch shushes me.

"You were too tired to be able to help Kelly," the Commander consoles me, "But you still tried your hardest to help him, that's what matters."

"..." I gulp, "What do I need to do?"

" _Hm?_ "

"What do I need to do to prevent this from happening again?"

"Well," Thatch stands, "You need to work on stamina and overall body strength. You may be skilled and fast, but your destructive power could use some work. But most importantly," he grins, "I have an idea. I'm going to have you train with Kelly."

 _What?_ I blink in surprise.

"Training with him will make him stronger, which would prevent things like this from happening," the Commander smirks, "Two birds with one stone."

"But Kelly might not be strong enough to stick with me!" I say, "What if I hurt him? Wouldn't it be better if I became so strong that I can protect him?"

"Well, Haruta," Thatch shrugs, "You won't always be around to shield him. And then, if you aren't there and you spent all your time making yourself stronger instead of teaching him to protect himself, he'll die."

"..." I stay quiet, knowing he was right.

"It's the job of a Commander to protect his or her crewmates, but it's also their job to make sure that those same crewmates can fight for themselves," the pompadour grins, standing, "Got that?"

"Yeah…" I nod.

"Good," he starts to walk away, then stops, "Hey, follow me, let's get something to eat. You must be hungry."

"Yeah…" I mutter. Now that he mentioned it, my stomach felt like it was eating itself. My whole body must've been sore enough that I didn't notice.

"Alright," Thatch grins, but it slowly falls into a grimace, "Once we get some food, I'll explain what happened on my end."

"Good," I smirk, a little confidence returning, _But…_ I glance at the floor, _I wonder if Kelly made it off that island?_

 **AN: So, that piece of the puzzle is finally in. I actually initially had that Haruta scene planned for earlier, but it was really rough in terms of story, so I saved it for a flashback. Well, I'll see you next chapter!**


	34. Chapter 33: Flashback Part 2

Chapter 33

 **AN: I was able to get this one going faster, and I feel a lot more refreshed in terms of writing. One thing I want to talk about is swordsmanship techniques. I will be honest: sword techniques are freaky. With Haruta, it's pretty much just powerful Tempest Kicks using a sword, but with Vista's Rose Round Dance? That shit's supernatural. Also, if I use the word 'shave', it is only the Six Powers technique if it is capitalized. Other than that, it is just to put the idea of going so fast that you disappear into your heads. Well, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 33

( **Thatch** )

 _Tsssssssss_ …

The one-handed pan hisses as I squirt a bit of oil onto it. A lot was going through my mind - Haruta's talk about how he failed Kelly, the past couple days, and the fact that I had to leave Geas. That last one irritated me. I knew that if we didn't have those civilians we could have stood our ground, but I couldn't keep a few dozen non-fighters safe without getting away. These kind of situations I hated the most. Luckily, I had cooking to clear my head.

 _Crk-crk-crk!_

I crack three egg on the side of the counter, opening them up over a bowl, where the contents drop with a _bloop_.

"Yo, Thatch!" the voice of my student yells from the dining hall, "How long will it take?"

"I just started!" I grin, grabbing a whisk from a utensil rack and rapidly mixing the eggs. I take a ¼ cup of milk I had prepared earlier and mix it in, grabbing the salt shaker and mixing that. Fluffy, with some basic taste. I didn't get to do this often, most of the time I ended up just ordering the chefs on the _Moby_ around as head chef, usually just broiling up a rack of meat for the Captain, but it was good to stretch my skills once in a while for someone other than Pops.

"Jeez, what took you so long to start?" Haruta asks, "Was it that hat and apron you always wear?"

"Hey, it takes a bit to get all this luscious pompadour into a proper hat!" I grin, "You don't want any hair in your omelette, do you?"

"... Yeah, fair point."

" _Hehehe,_ " I chuckle to myself, moving to the pan and pouring the contents of the bowl into it.

 _TSSSSsssssss…_

I smile calmly, feeling in my element. In the kitchen, I was the boss, I figured out everything, and I decided what was what. I had control, and it gave me a feeling. A _good_ feeling. I move away from the egg, going to a cutting board, that held some sausage links, a portion of onion, a red pepper, and a small block of cheese. With the speed of a Commander, I quickly snatch a kitchen knife from the rack and rapidly chop each ingredient. The sausage was ground up, the pepper was sliced, the cheese was shredded and the onions were pieced. At a rapid pace, I move the cutting board to the omelette, grabbing a spatula and carefully keeping the edges of the egg from touching the sides of the pan. I had been fast enough, and the egg hadn't started sticking.

 _Tsssss…_

I smile, the fragrance of salt and egg filling the air, and I can feel the heat of the steam wafting around my face, catching in my goatee. I might've experienced it hundreds of times before, but _damn_ if steam didn't feel good!

"Thatch, what are you even making?" Haruta asks, and the short swordsman peeks through the door. I glance over, a smile growing on my face as I see the kid. His hair was ruffled, a couple bruises and cuts still showing. He was covered in bandages, and his shoulders were slumped, but I could still see a bit of youthful fire burning in those dark eyes.

"An omelette," I respond, turning back to my work. I pick up a handful of shredded cheese, sprinkling it over the exposed and bubbling top. Before it melts, I quickly sprinkle the rest of the ingredients over the cheese, and watch as they melt together, "Now hold on, it's almost done."

"Al- _yaaaaaa…_ " he yawns, and I grin. He must've been tired. I was definitely proud of him for being able to fight for almost a day - most of the Commanders could hardly do that. He was strong as the younger Commanders, too. But I didn't want him to be just any Commander once he got the chance. I wanted him to surpass me.

"Aaaaaaand," I glance at the omelette, " _Done!_ " I sweep the spatula under the side, folding the thing over. The outside was a crispy, golden brown thanks to the oil I had used earlier, and while most chefs would turn away from that kind of unhealthy option, I found the crew liked it better fried. I grab a bowl, draining the oil into it for use later - can't waste anything at sea - and slide the omelette onto a plate. With that, I quickly turn on the faucet and clean my utensils, letting the omelette cool. With my workplace clean, I pick up the plate and stride through the doorway into the dining hall.

"Wow, something smells good," Haruta glances my way.

"Of course," I smirk with confidence, "I _am_ one of the best cooks this side of the line, after all."

"What is it?" my student tries to peek, but I hold the plate back.

"Hey!" I grin, "You can't just take it from me! Have some manners."

" _Hugh_ ," Haruta mutters something under his breath, then turns back to me, rolling his eyes, " _Thank you, Thatch_."

" _Hehehe,_ you're welcome," I chuckle to myself, "And here is your reward," I slide the plate in front of him, "Thatch's fresh-cooked, protein-packed omelette!"

"Woah," I can see Haruta practically drooling, and I smile to myself as I walk back to the kitchen, taking off my apron and hat, letting my pompadour out. I slide a comb out of my front pocket, slicking my hair into proper place. I can hear a rapid clinking of silverware from the dining hall, and I feel a warm sensation in my chest as I reach into a convenient bowl of fruit and pull out an apple. It always felt good having people enjoy my cooking - hell, any cook enjoys that, even the snarky ones. Some might act all high-and-mighty or scream at people to figure out where the lamb sauce is, but we were all in the same boat.

I think back on where I started from as I bite into my apple. Jeez, it was so long ago, it felt like ages. I was just a wandering cook who took on work from anyone, trying to make ends meet. I joined the navy early on as a kitchen aid when I was just a kid, mainly just learning about the kitchen through watching. I would practice making meals for myself with what scraps were left over from the garbage bin, which usually got me yelled at. But one day, the ship I served on got attacked by an infamous crew, and most of the marines got curb-stomped by the captain. When he found me, I was just cutting up onions for one of the chefs. I kinda sucked at chopping back then, and I would always get scolded for screwing up. I watched as that Captain ordered the head chef to make something for him, and I thought he would let him live or something.

However, the moment the head chef threw away a t-bone, something only I noticed, the pirate Captain yelled at him to stop and eat what he had made. Once that had been done, the Captain drove his foot through the head chef's gut. The pirate yelled something about that chef being a disgrace, and everyone else in the kitchen started panicking. That Captain repeated it with the next chef, then the next, then the next. They all made the same mistake, though - they threw away the scraps. Soon, I was the only one left.

' _You sure 'bout this, Captain?'_ one of the crewmen had said, ' _He's a kid, I bet he couldn't even make a decent steak!'_

' _Let him try,'_ the Captain had responded, ' _Who knows, he may have some talent!'_

Fearful for my life, I did the only thing I knew how: I used the scraps. I went to the trash, picking out bones and fat, tough meat and cartilage. I ground it all up, mixing it together and putting it in some water. I used some chicken broth from the fridge, pouring it into a pot, and waited for it to be boiling. I poured my scraps concoction into it, mixing it all around into a rancid stew. I remembered the onions I had cut, and went back, taking the lopsided pieces and dumping them in.

' _H-here,'_ I had gulped after I had put some into the bowl, and I gave it to the Captain, ' _I-I'm not good at it-'_

' _You didn't use new ingredients,'_ the Captain had said, ' _You used what was left…'_ he had seemed shocked, but I thought it was a trick of my mind, because he then told me to eat what I had made. So, scared out of my mind and already feeling sick, I began to swallow down the nasty concoction. Each mouthful was disgusting, but I powered through, scared I would die. But, as I took the last gulp of the chicken broth, something unexpected happened - I found the hat of the head chef on my head.

' _You have a gift, kid,'_ that Captain had said, ' _I think you have some potential. I won't kill you this time.'_

After that small exchange, they had left me on that Marine ship alone to drift in the seas. There were few survivors, but I was able to feed them with my cooking. Seeing their grateful faces was what had really gotten me into cooking. Soon, however, we were found by another vessel, and taken back to base. I quickly decided to leave the Marines, but I kept travelling around the Grand Line, catching rides with anyone who would pick me up, paying them with my food. I would cook and perform, dancing, joking, and soon, people were asking for me, willing to pay me to be a cook, even for a short while. I took swordsmanship lessons as payment, and one particularly old seadog had given me _Toonkigō_ , the one-of-a-kind sword that was at my side. Soon enough, after drifting for a couple years, I was picked up by Pops, and the rest was history.

 _Ah, the good old days…_ I smile to myself as I bite into the crisp apple, _I wonder how that old Captain is doing?_ _I heard he lost his leg a couple years back or something… hope he's going okay…_ I make my way back out the door, looking to where Haruta sat, and I chuckle softly as I see him facedown on the table, a half-eaten omelette on the plate in front of him. "You could've at least eaten the rest of the omelette…" I sigh, sitting down. I grab the omelette from the plate, opening my mouth and scarfing it down. I tasted the melted cheese and sausage, and I smiled. This was life.

"Don't worry, kiddo," I ruffle Haruta's hair, "I'll tell you about my side of the story later," I go back into the kitchen, placing the plate in the sink. _He looks so tired…_ my heart throbs as I see the kid asleep once I come back out, and I pick him up, tossing him onto my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I can't help but smile at the thought.

"You're very different when you care for someone, you know that?" a feminine voice sounds behind me, and my heart leaps.

" _AH!_ " I turn on a dime, tossing haruta up into the air with one hand and drawing _Toonkigō_ with the other.

"Woah!" Nilsson Maria jumps back, holding her hands up, "It's just me, Thatch!"

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank god," I hold out my hand, catching Haruta before his body hit the ground.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asks, mock-defensively, "You're usually happy to see me."

"You just scared the shit out of me," I sheathe _Toonkigō_ , rubbing my temples, "I didn't expect anyone else to be in the halls."

"Well, I heard some sounds coming from the training room," her hazel eyes twinkle, "That was you two?"

"Yeah," I nod. I felt the urge to say something, but I repressed it, "So, what were you saying?" I opt to ask.

"Oh," the young nurse blinks, "I was saying that you act a lot different when you're caring for someone.

"Yeah…" I look at my student, "For the first couple months, I just had Haruta do some training, but as he grew, well…" I look back at Maria, "I guess I just feel responsible for him."

"Thatch, feel responsible? _Tsahaha!_ " She laughs, "That's a new one."

"Well, it happened," I shrug, and I think back on the day, my face going from a smile to a neutral line.

"Hey, are you okay?" I feel a hand on my arm, and I look at Maria, who wore a worried expression, "You're usually a lot more upbeat than this."

"Yeah," I reply, thinking back to Haruta's crying face as he recounted his events, "I'm fine."

"Thatch…" she starts, but I turn away.

"You should probably head back to the med bay," I tell her as I start walking, a lot swimming around in my head, "There was a lot of damage," She doesn't follow, and I round the corner, making my way towards Haruta's room. _That could've gone better,_ I frown as I make it to the door, slowly pushing it open. I slowly stride to his bed, making sure I don't wake him up, and throw aside the sheets, carefully putting him on the bed. Then, I pull the sheets back over. "Sleep tight," I whisper. With that, I carefully leave the room.

"Thatch, please don't brush me off," Maria is standing outside the door, and I sigh.

"Fine," I sounded like a sad child, "But could we talk somewhere more…" I look around the empty halls. Who knew, someone could be listening, and Haki working with a tired mind doesn't always work as intended, "...Private?"

"Sure," she sighs, "Follow me back to my room, we can talk there."

" _Hehe,_ " I chuckle half-heartedly, "I always thought I'd be the first one to make a move…" she doesn't even bother to retort as we start our walk.

The walk felt like it took ages. A comfortable, yet uncomfortable silence ran between the two of us. Like a red onion, it was bittersweet. I glanced at Maria, her brunette hair tied up into a nurse's bun. She wasn't wearing her usual medical gear, opting instead for her camouflage and olive 'combat gear'. It might've just been cargo shorts and a jacket over a tank-top, but _damn_ if it wasn't form-fit-

 _No_ , I mentally berate myself, _Stop that_ , forcing my mind away from that train of thought, I focus on my performance recently, _What was there… so, Fishman Island, right,_ Fishman Island was eye-opening for me. It was really when I began realizing that we - Vista, Jozu and I - were getting soft. I'd tried to prevent my body from getting out of shape, but when I used my armament Haki with Haruta, I hadn't been able to cover more than both forearms. I hope that it was just neglect from focusing too much on keeping my body strong. Anything else would mean much worse for the future.

"We're here," Maria says, and I snap out of my thoughts. She opens the door, and I step in. The room was simple, almost minimalistic in nature, with a cot, a couple chairs, and a desk. I watch as she takes a seat in one of the chairs, and gestures me to follow suit.

"Jeez…" I sigh, obliging.

"What's wrong, Thatch?" Maria leans forward, her hazel eyes shining with worry.

" _Ugh_ ," I sigh, "Did I make the right decision?"

"What?" she leans forward.

"Back on Geas," I repeat, "Do you think I made the right decision?"

"Well…" Maria sighs, "I don't think I could exactly say definitively if it was good or bad."

"Hmm…" I nod solemnly.

"But," she puts a warm hand on my shoulder, "If you tell me more about what happened, I could try."

"Alright," I nod, thinking back, "So, Geas…"

-( **Thatch - Geas, one day ago** )-

"Take a while?" I raise my eyebrows in confusion, and I watch as Haruta's eyes flutter, "Haruta, what are you saying? Haruta, come on. Stay awake! You have to tell me where Kelly is!" but, my student's head rolls back. He was unconscious.

" _Damn it!_ " I roar, pounding the ground next to me, creating a small crater. _I should've cut off that sheep-guy's head_.

"Psh, that brat deserved it," I hear a sarcastic man sneer, and I feel burning irritation.

"Levi," I growl at the purple-sunglasses wearing swordsman, "You're on thin ice here."

"Whatever," he scowls, grabbing the Deutsche-style longsword from his side. I didn't know why that guy preferred those unwieldy things over something like a saber, but he survived this far into the line on his own, "I'm going to go kill some of Kaido's bastards. Don't bother waiting up," he bounds away. I really wish I hadn't left Raver back on the ship, but he was still technically recovering and the civilians needed protecting from someone who was at least a _little_ responsible.

I sigh. _Great, now I just have…_

"Hello, mister big hair!" I hear Johnson behind me, "Where did mister pointy-eyes go?"

I smile, having never heard anyone call Levi 'pointy-eyes' before. "Alright, Johnson," I turn to the _relatively_ difficult to work with guy, "I need you - and listen closely here - take little dwarf-man and go back to the fun-boat, okay?" I hand Haruta to the Sergeant.

"Okay!" Johnson smiles dumbly, about to turn around, but I catch his shoulder, and turn him back around with a little difficulty.

"Hold on," I say, and he gives me his rare full attention, "I also need you to tell the group of new friends we met on the way here to go with you to the fun-boat, okay?"

"Yes, mister big hair!" Johnson nods, and I let go, allowing the Sergeant to blast off back towards the boat. I hope he told those villagers that we met on the way what I told him to. I look around me. There was a contingent of Fourth Division men, about fifty in total - half the division - and they were all bristling with rifles and sabers, ready for a fight.

 _Alright,_ I turn back to the forest, feeling around with Haki for that strange presence Kelly had, _Come on…_ but there was nothing. Either he was unconscious, or he was somewhere else. With so many people on the island, he could be anywhere. His 'aura' wasn't exactly the strongest, so no matter how unique it was, he could still hide in crowds. I was still trying to figure out what Haruta was trying to say. Maybe he was saying the kid was in trouble or at the main fight? Either way wasn't good. Dexter was in bad shape when I saw him, too…

 _BOOM!_

The ground rumbles as a cannonball slams into the forest somewhere nearby, and I notice that the sounds of battle were starting to get closer. " _...amn it!_ " I hear voices. " _They're too close!_ " " _We're getting pushed back!_ " " _Watch your back!_ "

Suddenly, I feel that familiar nagging in the back of my mind, and I twist my body to the side as a cannonball whizzes past, striking the ground behind me, and I quickly guard myself with as much Armament as I could muster to my left side. The shrapnel bounces off me like a foam dart, but a few of my men were hit. I felt one life sputter out, three others flicker as they were wounded, and a surge of rage fills me up. A few of the other men split off, carrying the wounded away from the fight.

"Get them back to the ship!" I call after them, "Damn, it must be falling apart…" I mutter, and feel out with Observation. A huge cluster of people was slowly making their way towards me, and I can pretty much assume everything was going to shit. Lives were fading left and right, and I could sense Karen - she probably lost interest in that sheep guy - but Levi was nowhere to be seen. I could sense two larger presences that were pretty close, and I make my way towards them.

" _Damn you Beasts!_ " I hear a familiar voice roar, and I pick up the pace as I crash through the brush, " _Rrragh!_ " as I burst through the trees, I wince as I feel heat blast me in the face, and my eyes widen in shock at the sight before me.

Fire. Fire _everywhere_. Raging amongst the trees, smoke billowing from everywhere, it must've started with that artillery bombardment. I could tell that we were still close to that beach, and the fires were only a fifth of the way to where Haruta had been, but it wouldn't be long. _Oh, god…_ I glance around, seeing dozens of forms locked in combat through the smoke. I would have to rely on my Observation to get a reliable picture. I turn to the closest forms, who were locking sabers, and I rush up, trying to see their faces. Their silhouettes were distinctly difference, with one having a large horn sticking out of the top of his head. I cut him down.

" _What the!?_ " the other man lets out a cry of surprise, "C-Commander Thatch!?"

"What's the situation?" I ask him, finally seeing his face. He was a member of the Ninth Division.

"Thank god you're here!" the man collapses onto a knee, "We've been fighting for who knows how long. We were at the beach, but they've pushed us back."

"Let's change that," I turn to the men behind me, "Let's do this!"

" _YEAAAAAH!_ " they roar, and the whole group charges into the fight.

 _Thoom!_

I feel the ground shake as a huge foot slams down a couple feet away. "Atlas!" I grin, looking up, and I see a bald titan glance down at me, his current height putting Pops to shame.

"Thatch," the former Second Commander nods, "You've _grown_ ," on that word, he swings his gargantuan boot, sending five men flying.

"I forgot how big you could get," I comment, off-handedly smacking a Beast pirate aside as he charges me, "That Devil Fruit is just unfair!"

The Big-Big Fruit, the terror of the Second Division. It allowed Atlas to increase his size by three times, with his physical strength and durability increasing in tandem. Unfortunately, this naturally came at the cost of mobility, and it took an insane amount of energy to keep it up. As of right now, Atlas was at triple his average height of 8'4", but he was quickly shrinking.

"Well," the older man pants, a couple black marks along his chest. Probably cannonballs that hit him, "It takes a lot outta me to get that big. I was able to see where Jack is, though."

"Where?" I ask, the sounds of battle raging, and he points in the direction of the beach.

"Out on his boat, the little coward," the titan grits his teeth, "What say we go and meet him for a little _parlay?_ "

I grin, quickly blocking a sword that was aimed my way, disarming the wielder and slicing him across the chest, spattering blood everywhere. "I was just about to suggest that," I turn to Karen, who had just passed me, "Karen! Where did that Sheep guy go?"

"I lost him in this _clusterfuck!_ " the redhead curses.

"That's fine!" I sigh, but it was fine, "Atlas and I are going to cut the head from the snake, so it won't matter soon anyways! Hold the line!" she nods, and I turn back to Atlas, "Let's go."

The titan nods, and we stride through the battlefield, blade slashing and blackened fists flying. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a towering _thing_ with four arms cut through the trees like a buzzsaw, crushing men under its feet. Behind it, I see tree more, one with a man on it's back. Cracker. "Hold on," I say to Atlas, and ready my sword, turning it black with a little concentration.

"Hold up, lad," Atlas grabs my shoulder, "The Sweet Commander's on our side. We're allies as of now."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow, "Didn't expect Cracker to be an 'ally' type. He usually has his creations to back him up."

"Yeah, well," the former Commander shrugs, "We also kinda destroyed his ride home."

"Ah, that'll do it," I nod, sheathing _Toonkigō_ , "So, what's the plan after we fight Jack? I already have the islanders on my ship."

"Well, Geas is destroyed…" Atlas shakes his head as we keep moving, "It's best that we just get to the _Moby Dick_. We can go from there."

"Alright," I nod, but twist around, grabbing a Beast pirate who had snuck up on us by the neck and strangling him until I feel the _crack_. I wince. I never liked killing with my bare hands. At least with a sword I could instantly end an opponent instead of making them suffer.

"Let's pick up the pace, Thatch," Atlas calls from ahead, and I jog to catch up. Very few people attacked us, surprisingly, and we were able to make it to the beach fairly fast. But the beach was pure carnage.

Bodies were strewn about like ragdolls. There were few of my own crew, but there were dozens of Beast pirates, all crushed, maimed, decapitated, and mutilated. The sand and sea were stained red. I look on in a bit of a queasy state, trying to avoid the sticky red mixture, and gulp as I see a large warship, the visage of an ancient mammoth slowly making its way towards us. Glancing to the left and right, I see dozens of landing craft spilling out pirates onto the beaches, where they pour into the burning wood to throw themselves onto our men. I look at Atlas, who was beginning to let off pressure, growing in size. I see the titanic fishman that was known as Jack the Drought towering over his own ship, two sick, curved blades in his hands. But, I was ready.

" _Disco Blade!_ " I hear Jack roar, that scratchy young voice raging. I remembered the first time I had met him, a couple years ago, back when he was a lowly Headliner. I should've killed him back then, " _You came to die for me?_ "

"Oh, please!" I yell back, "I came to fight!"

" _Well, you'll die!_ " the response comes.

"We'll see about that…" Atlas grumbles, his fists turning black as the massive ship runs itself aground, and Jack jumps over the side, striking the ground with an earth-shaking _thoom_ , sending sand and bodies flying everywhere.

"So, the mouthy bastard finally decides to show up," Jack scoffs, "What a surprise."

"If I had known you were here earlier, I would've come sooner to kick you to the curb," I spit back, drawing my saber, "And I brought some help to make this go faster."

"Oh, please," the Disaster scowls, "An old has-been isn't _help_."

"Can an old has-been do _this!_ " Atlas roars in return, finishing growing to his maximum height and slinging a Haki-imbued fist at the All-Star.

" _Rgh!_ " Jack grunts as he pulls up his curved blades, blocking the attack. The two struggle back and forth, but Jack suddenly breaks off, shoving the fist to the side and spinning, about to slice Atlas in the shoulder. I quickly focus my Armament into my blade, leaping in front of the attack in less than a second, and block it in midair. Unfortunately, I had nothing to stop me, and the force of the attack sends me into Atlas' shoulder.

" _Dammit!_ " I grit my teeth, struggling against the attack. This was not my element. Fortunately, though, Atlas reaches his hand and grabs the blade, crushing it with a blackened fist.

"Sorry, kid," the veteran looks up at the taller Disaster, "I'm getting rid of this," with what was seemingly little effort, the blade is crushed under his grip, and it snaps in two, the end falling to the ground. I jump off of Atlas' shoulder, landing on the ground below.

" _Gah!_ " Jack roars, throwing away the broken blade, and he uses his fist to sock Atlas in the face. I could feel the impact from all the way down here.

" _Spotlight!_ " I yell, reflecting the light of the flames behind me at Jack's eye, blinding him.

" _Argh!_ " another roar from the All-Star, and he stumbles back, only to be punched back by Atlas, which sends him crashing against his boat, sloshing it around in the shallow tide.

 _How the mighty fall…_ I grin to myself, preparing myself for the upcoming fight. We had him outnumbered and outgunned for now, but Atlas' fruit put a timer on this fight. "Hey, Atlas!" I call to the massive former Commander, who glanced down at me, "How long do you think you have to fight?"

"..." the titan grimaces, "Ten minutes."

"That's short…" I purse my lips. That was a short timer. It would be best if I just tried to resolve it peacefully.

" _Damn Whitebeards!_ " Jack yells, pulling himself up with the boat, " _I'll kill you!_ "

I wave to Atlas to stand down, and he nods, shrinking to his regular size. "Jack! I want to talk!"

"W-what?" the request seems to take the Disaster aback, "Talk…?"

"Yeah!" I smile at him, my hand sheathing _Toonkigō_ , "I want to discuss some things before we fight, if that's alright with you."

"... You're _scared_ , aren't you!?" the massive man smirks, "You're scared of fighting me!"

"I wouldn't say I'm scared…" I shrug, "I just see no point in this. You're throwing your guys against a literal meat grinder here. _You_ already destroyed the Island, and _I_ already have it's remaining inhabitants on boats. There's no point in fighting. You can have this Island."

" _What!?_ " I hear Atlas rage behind me, "You are _not_ selling my home!"

" _Atlas, not now!_ " I bark, ignoring the fact that he used to be my superior, "Anyways," I turn back to Jack, "What do you say? You get the Island, we get to leave," I feel a buzz in the back of my skull and I quicky grab _Toonkigō_ with one hand, unsheathing it just in time to block the other curved sword.

"I have a better idea," the massive man, " _Die_."

"Fine then," I move as fast as I can, disappearing from sight, "You leave me no choice," I appear behind Jack, standing on his back, and I can feel the confusion coming off of him, but it doesn't stop me as I drive my haki-blackened blade between his shoulder blades.

" _ARGH!_ " the fishman screams, and I leap off before he can attack back, leaping off of the air using _Moonwalk_.

"Atlas, now!" I call down, and watch as the former Commander surges forward, growing to max size in mere moments, slamming a gargantuan fist into Jack's face, smashing that stupid-looking cage thing off his face. Jack flies back into his boat from the raw _force_ of the attack, the sound of wood crunching and splintering acting as music to my ears as he smashes into the side.

" _Urgh_ ," the All Star groans, dazed, and I take the opportunity to surge forward, closing the distance I had made in a millisecond, and I strike Jack's blade, slicing the Armament-less steel in two, destroying his second weapon. I knew I had to take every advantage I could - there was no room for mistakes. From my last encounter with the younger pirate, I knew that he didn't have any more tricks other than his raw strength. But, he could have something new for us.

"Atlas, we should fall back," I move back to my ally, and he nods, shrinking down and moving back, "Also, try to stay in your regular form as much as possible, conserve your energy."

"That's what I've been doing," Atlas replies, "But so much for talking."

"Hey, I had to try," I shrug, "I've met Queen a couple times, and he was able to be _somewhat_ reasoned with."

"Well, now we've got this little fucker to deal with," the former Commander growls.

"He's like, two feet taller than you, even when you're in your tallest form," I snipe, "You can't really call him 'little'."

"You know what I mean."

 _Crack!_

I glance back to Jack, and see him struggling up, a bit of blood leaking from his mouth. " _Rrrrrrrgh_ ," I hear him growl with rage, and I steel myself. I grit my teeth as he tramps to the beach, shaking the water off of him. Unfortunately, he looked confident, despite the loss of his weapons.

"He has something else," I say aloud.

"What?" Atlas asks, and I turn to him.

"No one is that confident unless he has something left to use," I explain, "A trump card, if you will."

"Hmmm…" Atlas narrows his eyes, "You're right. We should stay on guard."

" _You're running away?_ " I hear Jack taunt us, "Fine then, I'll come to you!" I get ready as the massive fishman charges forward, each step squashing sand and bodies into a grainy red paste.

"Buy me some time," I say.

"Who said you're in charge?" Atlas raises an eyebrow.

"I'm the Commander, aren't I?" I smirk at him, then raise my blade into the air, and I feel the static electricity in the air. I swirl _Toonkigō_ , sticking the energy to the blade as it went around. Unlike Vista, I preferred to use what was around me instead of what I had in store, the blade was just a channel for it, "Here he comes!"

"I've got him!" Atlas charges, growing by the second, and as he grows, his fist moves up to hit Jack in the jaw.

"I'm not falling for that again!" Jack says, and he steps to the side, the punch missing his face.

 _Not_ un _expected…_ I grit my teeth, the electric charge growing by the second, _Just a little longer…_ I wince as Jack flings his own fist forward, slamming it into _Atlas'_ face. Ironic.

" _...!_ " Atlas stumbles back, surprised and dazed, holding his arms up in a weak defense.

" _Hragh!_ " Jack lowers his head, trying to impale Atlas with those big horns, but Atlas's arms protect him from the worst, the horns only poking a couple inches into his skin. I watch as the former Commander recovers, grabbing Jack's horns and yanking him around this way and that. The titan's muscles bulge and strain, his face going red with exertion as he picks Jack up by those very horns he grabbed, lifting the larger foe above his head.

" _Here's a titanic takedown for you, you overgrown_ Ryba _!"_ Atlas bellows, and he lurches forward, slamming the All-Star into the wet sand near the water, bodies flying everywhere. The ground shook, much to my surprise, making me lose my footing, and I stumble, catching myself with a hand. Atlas stumbles back, every muscle on his body twitching, " _Grah_ … It's been a while…"

"..." Jack was silent, his face in the surf, and I knew that an impact on something like wet sand had to do some damage.

"Not so tough now, are you, you little _gówno_ ," Atlas slips into his native tongue for an insult, and I let myself relax for a bit, the charge my blade had been storing beginning to dissipate. I watch on as Atlas slowly sinks back, panting and clutching as his back, "Ugh, my age is catching up to me."

"You think that _hurt?_ " I hear a voice growl, and I instantly stick my blade back up, gathering more static electricity. It was close, "That was a _love tap!_ "

" _Sukinsyn_ ," the former Commander mutters something as Jack pushes himself up, sand and bodies falling off of him like a waterfall. I could see that Atlas was starting to get to the end of his strength - he was sweating, each breath ragged. I needed to charge as fast as I could.

" _Ha!_ " Jack charges forward, slamming his body into Atlas, and the former Commander's knees buckle, trying to hold out against the unstoppable force.

" _Grgh!_ " Atlas strains, more veins popping, and sand was pushed into huge dunes, only to be squashed back down again. Back and forth the titans went, neither gaining the upper hand, but Jack kicked out, striking Atlas' leading shin with enough force to put him off-balance. The All-Star stepped back, allowing the other man to careen forward, and meets his falling face with his fist, sending Atlas tumbling to the side, each impact shaking the ground.

" _Hugh,_ " Atlas groans, and he struggles up from his prone position, but a massive foot stomps on his back as Jack pounds him into the ground.

"You know, for the former Commander of the Second Division, you sure are _weak!_ " Jack mocks my old friend, "I would think that someone with a bounty of 1,456,000,000 berri on their heads would be tougher than this! 'Skullcrusher' Atlas. What a _joke!_ " Jack leans down, grabbing the back of Atlas' head and slamming it into the ground. I had to do something. It wasn't fully ready yet, but I knew I could take Jack out by myself if stuck to it. The only problem was time. My crew might not be able to hold out that long, "I know how I'll kill you! I'll crush _your_ skull!"

" _Hey!_ " I yell, getting Jack's attention, and I lower my blade, the electricity surging through it, "You forgot someone!"

Jack turns back to me. " _You_ ," he growls with all the ferocity of a wild animal.

"Did you forget already?" I mock, "I kicked your ass and left you back when you were a Headliner!"

" _Rrrrrrrrrrgh!_ " the All-Star fumes, and he drops Atlas' head, my friend slowly shrinking to normal size. He was unconscious.

"So, what's your bounty this time around?" I mock, "Is it bigger than _320 mil?_ "

"It's at 500 million this time around," the former Headliner clenches his massive fists, and I smirk. Only half of mine, "But that's nothing compared to my actual strength!"

"Oh, stop yapping and throw a punch already," I put my free hand behind my back, going into a more defensive stance, my blade crackling with electricity.

" _Hrrrgh!_ " Jack charges forward, raging like a bull, and I _shave_ to the side, dodging the mass. Fortunately for me, his back was wide open, and I take that chance to unleash the move I'd charged.

" _Electric Slide!_ " I yell, spinning and slicing horizontal to my body, sending an electrocuted flying slash at my enemy.

" _Argh!_ " Jack yells as it hits, volts pulsing through his body, and he stumbles, quickly turning around, " _You-_ " he growls, " _I won't hide this any longer! You will die!_ "

 _Fuck, his trump card,_ I instantly tense, preparing to counter it. But what I saw horrified me. Hair. Large, thick, brown hair began sprouting from the Fishman's body. On top of that, massive ivory tusks began sprouting out of the corners of his mouth, growing in size. In fact, _he_ began growing in size, and I gulp as he finishes, looking like a giant brown gorilla with tusks. " _What the fuck!?_ " I gape, " _What is_ this _bullshit!?_ "

"My Devil Fruit," the giant _thing_ rumbles, "The Ancient Zoan-type Mammoth-Mammoth Fruit."

" _..._ " I purse my lips, trying to figure out what I'll do. Testing him would be the best idea, " _Groovy Slash!_ " I focus, sending a diagonal air blade at Jack. If it hurt him, I would stay. If it didn't… it would take too long to kill him. I glance to my right, seeing a huge contingent of landing ships.

" _Hugh!_ " the massive Mammoth-Fishman hybrid grunts as the attack hits him, but as the dust clears, I see no external damage.

 _Yeah, time to go,_ I _shave_ to Atlas before Jack can react, picking his limp, and thankfully _normal sized_ body. "Sorry, Jack!" I heft the former Commander onto my back, "Another time!"

" _Wha-?_ " Jack blinks in surprise, " _WHAT!?_ "

"This ain't a good situation to fight in," I _shave_ away, leaving Jack to bluster alone. _Crap, that was embarrassing_ … I sigh as I make my way through the trees, _Those ships were carrying more pirates, and if I had lost, my crew would be slaughtered…_ I grit my teeth, _You made the right choice, Thatch…_ I try to tell myself, every cell in my body ordering me to go back and fight, _You made the right choice in running- NO!_ I stop, my body shaking, _That would've been a great fight to be apart of!_ A voice in the back of my head tells me, but I squash it down, _I can't let my crew die because of my decision,_ Frustratingly, I continue on my path, pushing down more urges to go back and fight.

" _Whitebeard!_ " I hear Jack bellow, " _Get back here and fight me!_ "

I hear the sounds of battle ahead, and move towards it, breaking through the brush. It was looking good for us - most of the Beast pirates were dead - but I knew more were coming. I immediately find Karen. "Karen," I order, "Take Atlas and the others back to the ship. How many did we lose?"

"We lost about a dozen of us," the redhead replies, "We still don't know where Levi is, and I heard that Leon was missing as well."

"Shit," I grit my teeth. I could feel the mass of people coming towards us, and Jack was closing in as well. I could _feel_ the second one, "Keep going. I'll hold them all off-" I feel a twinge in the back of my head, and I feel a weak presence at where the village was, "Hold on," I move as fast as I can, following the trail to a building with a small barricade at the destroyed door. The person was at the top floor, and I slash the roof off, leaping into it. There, lying on a bed, was Tirpitz Leon, looking like he just got beaten to a bloody pulp. His eyes were opened, surprise in every square inch of them.

"..." He blinks in confusion. He must've been unconscious while the whole thing was happening.

"I got you," I quickly pick him up, and he squirms in discomfort.

" _Th-Thatch!?_ " He croaks, "Why-"

"No talk time," I say, "We need to leave, _now_."

"I- _AAAAAAAAAUGH!_ " he screams as I move back to the main group, handing him off to Karen.

"Here, take him," I say, handing over a now unconscious-again Leon. She takes the burden without question, and quickly heads back to the ship, taking the rest with her. I follow a ways behind everyone else, looking out for Levi or any of the Beasts that were trying to pick us off. I could hear pounding footsteps in the distance, slowly closing in. _That isn't good,_ I gulp, and stop moving. "Karen!" I yell, and she turns, holding Atlas and Leon, "Go on ahead! I'll hold them off for now!"

" _Noble sacrifice!_ " she calls back, and continues on her way. I prepare for the fight that was ahead of me.

 _Come on, you overgrown teddy bear…_ I grit my teeth, _Come get it!_

" _Raaaaah!_ " I hear a yell from the trees, and I tense, holding _Toonkig_ _ō_ out in front of me. Then, a small army bursts from the trees.

 _Oh, it's just cannon fodder…_ I sigh a breath of relief. This was the easy part.

" _Wait!_ " I hear a voice from the huge crowd that was spilling forth on the path, " _That's 'Disco Blade' Thatch!_ " I could hear the hear in that tone, and it made me smile.

" _What?_ " another voice asks, and I can see the group shifting nervously, " _You don't mean that swordsman guy from the Whitebeard Pirates, do you?_ " I close my eyes in satisfaction. Damn, if it didn't feel good to have enemies fear you.

" _I heard he killed an entire army with one attack!_ "

" _I heard that he beat Captain Jack really easily back when he was a Headliner!_ "

" _Well if the Captain lost, what chance do we have!?_ "

" _Oh, shut up!_ " I hear a deeper voice boom, and I open my eyes to see a large man in front of me, "There's more of us than there are of him."

I feel out with my Haki one last time, feeling how close the others were to the ship. About a third of the way there. Good. _Time to beat the crap out of some goons._

"See?" the large guy raises his club, and I put up a weak barrier of Armament. That should be enough, "He's weak-" he slams down the club, the wood splintering upon contact, and I look up, grinning, " _Wha-?_ "

"Big mistake," I grin, grabbing what was left of the club and yanking it from his hand, and the smile only grows as I see that confidence twist into pants-shitting _fear_ , " _Boo_ ," I say, and the man falls over backwards, crashing to the ground, " _Anyone else wanna try their luck?_ " I yell, and the rest just hesitantly step back.

" _What are you doing?_ " I hear a bellow of fury, and look up to see the towering form of Jack the Drought above the trees, " _Beasts don't run!_ " I can see the conflicting emotions in the faces of his men as they weigh their options. Either get cut down by me, or be crushed by the mammoth fishman behind, " _Get out there and fight!_ "

" _B-but sir!_ " I hear one say, and a massive hairy foot crashes down on him and those around him.

" _What did I say!?_ "

" _Y-yes sir!_ " a unanimous cry rises from the huge lump of manpower, and they surge toward me.

 _Oh, great,_ I roll my eyes, _Well, I may as well enjoy myself if I am fighting_ , I sheathe _Toonkigō_ , putting up my fists, blackening them. I wouldn't need a full-arm covering for _this_.

" _Gyaaaaaah!_ " the first man yells, waving a saber in the air, and I catch his arm before he can swing, crushing his wrist in my grip until I hear a _crunch_. Then, I throw him into the oncoming group with enough force to send him and six others crashing to the ground unconscious. The next man, I just punch him in the gut.

" _What are you idiots doing?_ " Jack rumbles as I weave through the small army, throwing hands with anyone in my way.

" _He's tearing through us like we're nothing!_ " someone yells right before I smash his face in, blood spraying all over my white uniform. Great. I quickly dispatch the rest, and soon enough, I'm surrounded by a bunch of unconscious grown men.

"You got blood on my suit," I sigh as I try to brush it off, hands becoming bloody in the process. I can see the faint orange glow of the flames slowly burning towards us, and I look up at Jack, hearing yet more pirates crashing through the trees. How many were there? "So, you just going to stand there?" I ask, "Or are we fighting?" I discreetly feel out with Haki. The group was two-thirds to the boat. Not long now, "Hello?" I say when Jack doesn't respond, "Jack?"

" _Ragh!_ " the mammoth-fishman roars, and a massive hairy fist closes in on my spot. I quickly jump up, dodging, and land on it.

 _That's what I'm talking about,_ I visualize where the best place to strike would be, and run up the limb, putting on a burst of speed as the other hand moves to squash me, and I leap as I make it to the shoulder, going airborne. " _Hehehe!_ " I laugh, sending a flying slash at Jack's back. It crashes uselessly against the hide, but I knew it was useless. I was stalling. I quickly _Moonwalk_ , hovering in the air, looking down. The flames were a lot closer than I realized, and it was getting really hot up here. I was beginning to sweat. Fortunately, I had a good view of- _What is that?_ I blink as I look down, seeing a lump of leaves lying near a tree, looking suspiciously like a body. From the ground, it would look normal, but from up here, I could see it. I looked around, spotting the place where I had cut off that sheep-guy's arm, which was fairly close. _Kelly_ , I realize, and move to go towards him, but a gust of wind blows heat in my face, and I cover my eyes-

 _Slam!_

" _Hah!_ " I grunt as a massive hand smacks my back, and I feel my ribs bend and strain, sending me soaring to the ground. I hear a _thud_ as something large hits the ground at the same time I do.

"Pay attention, Whitebeard," I hear Jack sneer, "Who knows what might happen if you don't?"

 _Crap,_ I grit my teeth, and I look to see the flames closing in on where Kelly is, _I have to stop that,_ I quickly get up and dash to-

 _Crash!_

The ground shakes as a massive foot stomps down, crushing the trees it stepped on, and I leap away. The flames were practically licking at Kelly, and I recover, enveloping myself in Haki and dashing toward him. " _Gah!_ " I rear back, the flames flickering only meters away, and I can barely see through a cloud of smoke that just puffed in my face. Even with Haki, the heat was unbearable, and I couldn't get closer, which shouldn't have been the case. Unable to see and unable to close in to look, I make a quick decision. I send a massive flying slash all around me, creating a clearing away from the fire. Then, I jump back, sending a powerful slash into the ground where I was standing, creating a huge 'splash' of dirt, which covered everything in a huge radius, smothering flames and creating a protective barrier. Then, I leap up into the air, trying to see through the smoke.

" _Gotcha!_ " I feel my Haki blaring before a powerful vice clamp around my leg, and I'm pulled down from the air, "Not so tough now, are you?" I am brought face to face with Jack, and I work my jaw, looking for a way out of it.

"Well, well, well," I force a smirk, "If it isn't Kaido's exotic pet."

" _What was that?_ " Jack roars, and I feel the grip tighten. Yeah. Not gonna happen.

" _Hyah!_ " I slash away at Jack's thumb, cutting a small divot into the flesh, and I feel his grip tighten enough for me to break out, which I do with gusto, "See ya, Jack!" I _Moonwalk_ away, flipping him off for good measure to get him to follow me. I needed to make sure Kelly wasn't in danger, so we had to have Jack on our tail the whole time.

" _Why you!_ " I hear him roar as he is shrouded by smoke, and I can feel the earth shake as he stomps after me. I pick up the pace, dropping to the ground so I don't have to focus on my feet as much. As I'm running through the forest, though, I feel a familiar Haki signature running ahead of me.

"Levi!" I yell as I close in, and the purple sunglasses-wearing swordsman looks behind him as I easily catch up, "Where have you been?"

"Well," Levi says, "I was looking to find some random Beast Pirates to kill, but this weird goggles-wearing guy with a missing hand came up to me and offered me a bunch of Berri to betray you," he says, and my eyes narrow. This was fishy, Levi rarely talked about dealings like this, "Naturally, I refused. You guys pay me enough as is, so I don't need it. So, I left," that was too easy. If he was missing his hand, it was probably that Sheep-guy. And he didn't seem like the type to let someone go after turning down an offer. So, that meant Levi was lying, but I could use that to my advantage. If he was lying about it, it didn't hurt us. If he wasn't, there's a free escape from Jack.

"Alright," I nod, acting like I was fooled, "So, go back to him and say that you're taking the offer," I say, taking a baby transponder snail out of my pocket and toss it to him. I'm amazed that it made it through this, "I'll call you on this. When I give you the signal over the snail, you blow out the rudder on Jack's ship and escape over to the _Humpback_ , got it?"

"..." I could see his mind working from here, and I try to figure him out with my Haki, but even with that, he wasn't betraying any emotions. That was strange, "Alright," the money-grubber agrees, "I'll do it," he quickly peels off before I can say anything, and I watch him go, suspicion creeping ever-closer. Even a guy like him wouldn't betray Pops, would he?

 _Thud_.

I hear a step closing in behind me, and I erase all else from my mind, focusing on moving as fast as I can. I was close, and I put on a burst of speed, crossing through an abandoned campground. " _Get going!_ " I bellow as loud as I can, hoping to get the craft moving before I got there, " _Raver, cast off! Get out of here_ " I don't listen for a response, moving as fast as I can, and I burst through the trees, arriving at the beach we used to land, and I see a group of landing craft making their way away from the island. One was still moored, and I see Raver waving me over.

" _Come on!_ " he yells, and I'm there in an instant, pushing on the small craft.

" _Go, go, go!_ " I order, and he leaps in, morphing into his hybrid form and grabbing one of the oar pairs. I push the small craft off the beach as the footsteps _thud_ ever closer. If Jack got to us, it was game over. I leap up, taking the other set of oars, and we begin to paddle as Jack the Drought crashes through the trees, stomping onto the beach. His eyes immediately lock onto us, and he pursues, sloshing what is probably _tons_ of water aside as he goes.

"One, _what the hell is that!?_ " Raver yells, "Second, _it's getting closer!_ "

 _Not if I have anything to do with it!_ I grit my teeth, leaping off the boat into the air, and I draw _Toonkigō_. "Hey, Jack!" I yell, "You're wide open!"

" _C'mere, you-!_ "

" _Groovy Slash!_ " I yell, sending a huge flying blade at the water, and a massive wave envelops the All-Star. I see the massive fishman's knees buckle as his strength is sapped momentarily, and he crashes face first into the ocean, sinking slowly into the waves. I see a huge force of Pirates emerge from the forest, and I grit my teeth as I see them moving towards Jack's body. They would be after us soon.

-( **Thatch: Current Time** )-

"And that's what happened," I sigh, sinking into my chair, "I left Kelly on Geas, in the middle of a burning forest."

"..." Maria sits there, contemplating what I'd said.

"So go on," I tell her, "Yell at me, tell me I'm a terrible leader. Tell me that I made too many mistakes. Berate-"

"Okay, _stop_ ," she interrupts me, stomping her foot down, "Thatch, I don't need _this_ ," she gestures to me, "I don't need you asking for me to yell at you right now," the doctor massages her temples, "From my point of view, you did fine. Anyone lesser in your situation would have lost their head, plain and simple," she gets up, walking over to me and placing a hand on my shoulder, "You don't need to be so hard on yourself."

"Alright…" I sigh, just letting the feeling of having a hand on _my_ shoulder for once calm me down. We sit like this for what seems like hours, just letting the rocking of the ship calm us both down, until a noise interrupts the silence.

 _Tap_.

" _Wha-?_ " I jump in surprise.

 _Taptap._

"What is that?" Maria asks, and I feel out with Haki, my heart pounding. There was a group of people on the outside of the ship, but I'm unable to figure out what they're doing. I carefully draw _Toonkigō_ as silently as I can, and put a finger to my lips to make sure Maria stays quiet.

 _Taptapthud._

I put an ear to the wall, and hear voices speaking in hushed tones, but I can't make out… what… they're… sayi-

 _Tick_.

I hear it through the wall, and my eyes widen, knowing what was coming next.

 _Tick._

" _Get down!_ " I yell at Maria, diving away and pushing her to the ground.

 _Tick._

I quickly focus, putting all my willpower in protecting Maria, and I feel as her entire body becomes enveloped by a hardened black shell. So I was still capable of doing something like that.

 _Tick._

Then, the wall exploded.

 **AN: Well, there we go! Another chapter down and out! I'll probably take my winter break off, just so I can hang out with friends and family, but I will be back! Anyways, hope you enjoyed, and as always, I will see you next chapter!**


	35. Chapter 34: The Battle of the Strongest

Chapter 34

 **AN: I know this chapter is pretty short for how long it's been, but I spent a lot of time finishing the now-completed edits! I finally got through it all and uploaded it all at once! Now, there are slight changes to the story, which mainly better explain plot points or certain ideas, and it's much more streamlined. Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 34

-( **Unknown Island** )-

 _THOOM!_

The ground shakes as two titans clash. One, an old man that held the power to shatter reality itself, the other a beast, furiously attacking to claim his rightful place as the strongest. " _ **KAIDO!**_ " the old man bellows, and a fist surrounded in warped white light slams into the beast's face, warping it into a twisted mess, and cracks spread out in the air around the two, shattering the very atoms themselves. Blood spurts from the monster's skin and the cracks spread across him, shredding the weak humanity.

" _GRAH!_ " Kaido roars a roar of rage, grabbing his bastard opponent's wrist and pulling it away, lunging forward as he did, his own gargantuan fist into Whitebeard's own jaw. Both of their weapons lay meters away, discarded as the two giants traded blows.

 _Crunch_.

A deep, wet sound reached the ears of all watching the titanic battle as Edward Newgate's bones are cracked. A roar of approval from the men with spikes in their heads. A scream of anguish from the sons.

" _HARGH!_ " Newgate's voice booms, and the ground between the two splits as his fist glows, and the two Captains are separated.

"Give it up, Newgate," Kaido rumbles across the gap, blood streaming down his body, "You haven't held a candle to me yet."

The strongest man in the world clenches his aching jaw as he wraps his fingers around the hilt of his gargantuan glaive, simply standing up, staring at his foe. The words didn't need to be said, his determination spoke for him. He wasn't beaten yet.

"..." the massive monster who had orchestrated the whole offensive on Newgate's territory stands there, silent. The two powerhouses stare each other down, staying stock-still as if waiting for a signal. It comes in the form of a fist enveloped in white light.

 _Crk!_

The ground beneath Kaido shatters, thousands of miniscule shards exploding out with the force only worthy of a Yonko. " _Hrgh!_ " veins pop in Whitebeard's forehead as he brings his curled digits up, crushing them further, and the ground beneath Kaido is turned to dust.

" _Damn you-!_ " the Beast grunts as he sinks into the ground, " _Newgate!_ "

The father of the Whitebeard pirates growls, and the entire island begins to shake violently, tearing the ground asunder. Lava spewed as the crust was cracked, mountains formed, and massive chunks of earth were obliterated, fractured into nothingness. This was the power capable of destroying the world.

" _Graaaaaaaah!_ " Kaido bellows in rage, grabbing his massive club out of the air as it hurtles past, " _I'll kill you, Whitebeard!_ " he leaps, an inhuman feat for one his size, and bears down on his foe, prepared to smash him to nothing with his Haki-blackened weapon.

" _Brat,_ " a single word comes from Whitebeard's mouth, and that familiar white light envelops his glaive as Kaido plunges, striking the glaive's shaft, sending out a shockwave that blasts away the dust and smoke surrounding the two. Then, Edward Newgate pushes back, and the strongest beast in the world is shoved away as the strongest man swings his glaive, impacting Kaido's side with the force of one thousand cannons.

" _AAAAAAAAAAAH!_ " the beast roars as cracks spread from the point of impact, splitting his skin once more, sending yet more blood spewing forth from his body.

 _THOOM!_

A blast of lava spews forth from the cracks in the ground around the two, and the field is bathed in pungent orange light. As Kaido stumbles back, Whitebeard's musculature bulges as he charges, smashing into his foe. " _HRGH!_ " the Captain of the strongest crew in the world grabs Kaido by his massive, protruding horns, and wrenches the beast's head to the side, forcing him into the burst of magma.

" _GRAAAAAH!_ " Kaido screams in pain as the molten rock scalds his skin, melting his hair and face into blackened, flaming husks. In a fit of instinctual rage, Kaido lashes out, catching his foe on the side of the head, knocking Newgate away. Once this was achieved, the beast surges forward, pressing the attack, slamming his fists into the dazed Whitebeard over and over and over.

" _Pops! No!_ " a faint cry rises up from the _Moby Dick_ and her escort ships, bobbing around in the churning seas outside the island. From the wooden deck, a single blue streak blasts forth, determined to free his titan of a Captain. Whitebeard's eye catches sight, and with raw willpower, he stomps his foot down, burying it into the earth, and catches Kaido's fists.

" _MY SON!_ " he bellows, furious, " _STAY OUT OF THIS!_ " the streak stops, hesitating, unsure of the action to take, " _IF I FALL, YOU MUST TAKE THE_ MOBY DICK _AND PROTECT OUR FAMILY! YOU ARE ALL THE FUTURE!_ " Marco hesitates, hovering in the air, but flies back to the ship, as per orders.

" _Rrrrgh,_ " Kaido growls, yanking his bloody fist from Newgate's grasp, and he lunges, catching the older man in the gut.

" _Hrk!_ " Whitebeard grunts as blood spurts from his mouth, and he stumbles back, each step shaking the ground.

"I'm ending this, old man!" the strongest Beast rears back, scales suddenly sprouting along his entire body, his eyes warping into reptilian slits, massive horns morphing from his skull. His face expanded, elongated and grew, growing into a large reptilian snout, with teeth and long wavy whiskers. His arms shrunk slightly, alluding to his final form yet evening out his proportions. Yet those same proportions would be ruined later, as Kaido himself grew taller, more and more massive by the second, his neck thickening and growing until it was as long and large as his torso. A large tail, complete with black ridge-like formations began sprouting from his back, blue scales growing from his skin, his legs becoming even shorter as they were almost absorbed. Then, it was done. A hybrid of man and mythological beast, prepared to do anything to be on top. And one that was nearly twice his foe's size.

"What is this?" Newgate asks, clutching his glaive even tighter, "I knew you were a beast, but you weren't in possession of a Devil Fruit last time you attacked me."

"It is a Devil Fruit ability that lets me turn into an eastern dragon, something even you can't beat," Kaido brags, "Now, kill me, if you even _can_."

"That form is ridiculous," Whitebeard scoffs, "You look like a log with arms."

" _Rrrgh_ ," Kaido's fanged snout twists into a disgusting frown, "This is but half of my Zoan abilities, old man. I can go further."

"So you turn into a large _snake_ ," Whitebeard simply scoffs, blood trickling down his chin, "How befitting of you, Kaido."

"..." there was only silence after that comment, and the dragon-beast's lips were curled up into a snarl, the eyes seemingly becoming more bloodshot by the second, and tongues of fire suddenly burst through the gaps, " _GREAT FLAME!_ " Kaido roars, and his large, serpentine body stretches forward, blasting a gout of hellfire towards the strongest man.

" _Hn!_ " Whitebeard grunts as the fire slams into his body, and his feet are forced back along the ground, tearing troughs in the heat-baked ground. Magma spews forth from the shattered earth nearby, coming close to burning him as well, and the flames of the dragon illuminate the smoke-filled sky. Newgate could feel his insides heating up, his toughened skin beginning to give way. Refusing to be taken by an attack so pitiful, the Yonko infused his willpower into his body, covering it with an invisible strength. He did not need more than a weak barrier. The heat of Kaido's attack quickly lessened, becoming no more than a tickle, " _Is that all you have, beast?_ " Whitebeard grumbles, and he pulls back his weapon, muscles once more bulging to unholy size as the power of the earth envelops his trusted glaive, " _Ha!_ " his scratchy voice bellows, and he holds the weapon out in front of him, splitting the flames, which billowed out around him, licking at him from all sides now. Like an ancient knight, he trudged forward, enveloped in flames, an invisible armor infused into his skin. Closer and closer he drew to his foe, and once he was but three meters away, he placed his glaive on his back and lunged forward with a burst of strength, grabbing the top and bottom jaws with his hands.

" _Gah!?_ " Kaido gasps with surprise.

" _Grrrrraaaaaaugh!_ " Newgate bellows, lifting his twice as large opponent up and over his back, slamming his long body to the ground, where it gave way to a spring of magma bubbling beneath the surface. The entire island shook, the waves caused by it actually going against the tide, reversing the very currents.

" _GYAAAAAAARGH!_ " Kaido screeches, the molten rock splashing against his scaly hide as he slowly sinks in, " _Curse you, Whitebea-!_ " he is cut off as the earth swallows him whole.

" _Haaa…_ " the Strongest Man pants, releasing his haki, " _Haaaa_ …" he stands tall, refusing to collapse as his mind calms. He searches out with Observation, to confirm his foe's death. Below him, he could sense the thrashing form of the Strongest Beast just below the surface. Whitebeard slowly lifts his arm, hand glowing, and cracks the rocks around the impact point, having them fill in the gap. It was only once his foe was fully trapped that he allowed himself to relax.

" _Pops!_ " he hears the voice of Marco, his strongest son, closing in from the air, " _You won!_ "

" _MARCO!_ " Whitebeard roars, " _WHAT DID I TELL YOU!?_ "

" _I-!_ "

 _CRACK!_

A loud noise sounds from the ground in front of him, spiderwebs crackling out from below.

" _ **MARCO!**_ " Newgate bellows, " _ **GET OUT OF HERE!**_ "

The blue phoenix reels back, but not before a stream of red-hot flame erupts from the ground, enveloping him. " _AAAAAAAUGH!_ " Whitebeard's adoptive child screams as he plummets to the ground, hitting it with a _crunch_.

 _THOOM!_ the ground explodes, a long, serpentine form rising forth. Magma slowly boiled away, sloshing off massive, green scales in huge waves, and as Kaido rose into the air, his form wavering through the heat. His arms were all but gone, but underneath his scales, huge muscles rippled, and on his back, those black ridges rose even taller, like mountains, and large whiskers waved out, twisting in the air. A gargantuan snout peeled back to reveal massive ivory teeth, and his huge tail snaked behind him. His size was massive, easily dwarfing the Strongest Man in the World. A full Eastern Dragon.

" **So, Newgate,** " a deep, rumbling voice shook the air, " **Am I a snake now?** "

But Whitebeard wasn't looking at the dragon. He was staring at the spot where his son had fallen, wisps of smoke rising up from the cracked ground. No movement.

" _ **Answer me!**_ " Kaido roars, but there was no response, " _ **WHITEBEARD!**_ "

"My son…" the Strongest Man mutters.

" **What was that?** " Kaido growls, floating closer.

" _You…_ " Newgate locks eyes with the dragon, the orbs filled with nothing but rage, " _You harmed my son!_ "

" **And what are you going to-** _ **hrk!**_ " Kaido tries to mock him, but the Strongest Man's hands were already on the large whiskers protruding from his snout, " _ **Gah!**_ " he grimaces as Whitebeard plants his foot on the dragon's nose, pushing against it while pulling on the whiskers.

" _You will pay for that with your life,_ _ **Snake**_ ," Newgate growls, the air three kilometers out shaking with the force of his voice, " _HYAGH!_ " he pulls, and with a sound not unlike fracturing paper, the ong, wavy whiskers are torn from Kaido's snout, blood spurting in every direction, boiling and sizzling as it strikes the heated ground.

" _ **GRAAAAAAAAAH!**_ " the Strongest Beast roars, coiling and contorting his long, snakelike body as he recoils, the sounds of his pain causing the wood on some of the boats out at sea to crack, " **Enough!** " he growls, blood pouring down his teeth. That very same blood is quickly vaporized as a massive heat, twice as powerful as the last, builds up in his gullet, licking at the air through his teeth, " _ **Great Flame!**_ " he bellows once more, and a blast of heat bursts forth, enveloping the entire half of the island in a massive inferno of death, melting rocks into solid masses, incinerating what little vegetation remained in that hellhole, and turning the sky an even darker shade of black.

" _Hrrrgh…_ " Whitebeard growls, the heat licking at his heels. His entire body was covered in a new invisible shield, an armament coating still not required. He took a step forward, his massive boot sinking into the slowly liquidizing stone. The rage inside of him was impossible, a level that he had not felt for years, not since Rogers' Death. How _dare_ this upstart monster harm his son, _his family?_ He reached behind his back with one hand, clutching his trusted weapon once more, the power of the earth focusing at the blade. He sweeps back, muscles expanding to sizes unparalleled by any other attack, " _This…_ " he stares ahead, at where he knew Kaido's damned mouth was, " _Is_ _ **nothing!**_ " he sweeps forward with his weapon, and as it swept, the world around it warped, thousands of cracks appearing through the air, racing towards his foe.

Kaido sees the attack, quickly stopping his own, leaving the earth to cool, and quickly twists and curls, trying to evade. His massive form evades the largest of the cracks, but the thousands of smaller fractures splash across his body, creating miniature fissures in his hardened scales. " _ **Rrrgh!**_ " he grunts in pain, thousands of tiny cuts ravaging him. But, he kept moving, twisting around the larger crack, which were spreading all out. They were easy to avoid, moving slower than the others, but they were connecting with each other, almost making a… a… " _ **NO!**_ " Kaido bellows, realizing what Newgate was trying to do, and he saw dozens of connected cracks, all circled around his body. Even when he was angry, his tactical mind was masterful, " _ **YOU WILL NOT TRAP ME!**_ " but it was too late. Everywhere the beast looked, he only saw rends in reality. All places but straight ahead, at Newgate himself. Whitebeard wanted Kaido to charge right at him? Kaido would charge right through him. Growling in rage, the dragon flew at his enemy, heat building in his gullet, " _ **GREAT FLAME!**_ " he roars, unleashing a torrent of fire that raged ahead, enveloping the Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.

" _Rrrrgh!_ " Whitebeard clenches his jaw, planting his feet, and he rears back his free hand, preparing to clash, and it glows with white energy. The flames washed over him, but they did nothing but tickle him. Kaido closed. Fifty meters. Forty meters. Thirty. Twenty. Ten, " _Rrrrraaaaaagh!_ " Newgate bellows, and he slings his arm forward, catching a surprised Kaido on the nose of his snout. The ground beneath him sloshes and shifts as he slides, digging yet more troughs into the now-more-malleable surface. However, he slowly ground to a halt, his foe in his forceful grip. He glances at the rest of Kaido's body, still somewhat trapped in the cracks, and he slams the butt of his glaive against the ground, mercilessly causing dozens of cracks to spread from the larger ones and across Kaido's end.

" _ **Grrrgh!**_ " the dragon groans, but Whitebeard squeezes his snout, snapping his attention back to him.

" _Kaido_ ," Newgate says, "As much as I want to _kill_ you," his grip tightens, and the dragon growls, "I know that the moment you die, the balance of power in the New World will be ruined, and the Marines will overtake all of your resources and launch campaigns against the rest of us. That will put my sons in more danger than before Roger."

" **Why are you telling me this?** " the beast asks, " **Is this some kind of** _ **joke?**_ "

"Because," Whitebeard explains, "I don't want my sons to be in that danger, and we both know that you can't beat me."

" **Oh, really?** " Kaido growls, and a massive, bloodied tail moves to strike, but Newgate plants his glaive into the ground, imbuing Haki into it, and the glaive doesn't even budge when the tail strikes.

"No," the Strongest Man states, letting go of the snout, and Kaido narrows his eyes.

" **Rrrgh,** " he growls, " **What do you want?** "

"Leave," Newgate says, "Leave and slither back to Wano Country like the snake you are. Leave all the islands your surprise attacks took, because if you can't beat me here, you clearly can't hold them."

" **You expect me to just** _ **leave!?**_ " the dragon roars, eyes flashing, and he rears up, teeth bared, " **After all of this time, after all this** _ **effort!?**_ "

"Yes," the Strongest Man answers simply, "And I know you will, because you're frightened deep down. You're scared."

" **What!?** " the beast exclaims in disbelief, " _ **SCARED!?**_ **I am** _ **KAIDO!**_ **I fear** _ **nothing!**_ "

"Then why did you not attack me when I was fighting Linlin?" Newgate questions, "That was a perfect time for you to strike and kill us both. Or do you remember when we were on our old crew, when I tore both of you down by myself?"

" _ **Rrrrgh…**_ " Kaido's teeth groan as they are ground against each other as he begrudgingly stays silent

A hundred meters away, a yellow-haired man in his early thirties staggers up, blue and yellow flames flickering all around his body as he regenerates. He blinks as he looks around at the hellish landscape - molten rock covered the ground in a massive area a ways away, huge crags and spikes torn and ripped from the earth. Huge geysers of lava burst from the ground, bubbling and boiling. The heat was insane! A crazy pressure was being exerted all over, nearly popping his ears, and he looks to where it was coming from. A massive snake-like beast was raised above the battlefield, twisting and curling as it floated. Below him, the massive form of Edward Newgate was dwarfed, but the look of pure _fury_ on his face was unmistakable. Marco was _not_ staying here to see what would happen.

Whitebeard saw a movement out of the corner of his eye, a small winged flame limping into the sky. Marco was safe, which relieved him to no end, and his anger waned. Turning back to Kaido, he stares his foe in the face. "Even if you got stronger since then, you and I both know that Roger's cabin boy is on his way," he says, that feeling of calm pressure moving ever closer from the direction of that island, Geas, "If he didn't stop for a few hours there, he would already be here, but once he arrives, you have no options but surrender."

" **So you want me to** _ **SURRENDER!?**_ " the dragon bellows, snapping his teeth mere inches from Newgate's face, " _ **I WILL NOT STAND FOR THAT HUMILIATION!**_ "

 _CRACK!_

A massive spider web of cracks, each as long as Kaido himself, spread out as Whitebeard slams his free hand to the side. The beast goes quiet, drawing back and watching his fellow Yonko with a malicious eye. " _That is not what I meant_ ," the Strongest Man states, drawing back his arm, the cracks slowly fading as the air coalesces back into itself, "As I said earlier. Give. Up. And. Leave."

" _ **RRRRAGH!**_ " the dragon slams his tail against the ground, splitting the earth in two where he struck, " _ **Never.**_ "

"Then you leave me no choice," Newgate clenches his fist, rearing back as the power of quakes flows through him.

" _ **That won't work, Whitebeard!**_ " Kaido roars, and the end of his bloodied tail whips, flicking droplets of blood into his foe's eyes.

" _GYARGH!_ " Newgate stumbles back, the unexpected strike catching him off-guard.

The dragon surges forward, grabbing Newgate's head in his massive scaled hands. " _ **I will kill you!**_ " he bellows, pulling Whitebeard back and forcing him into the partially-molten ground, dragging him through it. Kaido's foe attempted to grasp the hand that held him, but the dragon's other hand batted the attempt aside. For what seemed like minutes, the Yonko was dragged through the ground, forming entire melting mountains out of what he carried with him. Whenever there was too much stone to drag him through, Kaido would lift him up, over it, and slam him, dragging him down the side of the hill. Then, after an eternity, he was tossed up, " _ **GREAT FLAME!**_ " the dragon roars, a pressurized stream of superheated flame enveloping Whitebeard, the force blasting him even higher, up to five hundred meters into the air. Then, Kaido rushed ahead, rising above Whitebeard, coiling and twisting into a wheel, " _ **DIE, NEWGATE!**_ " he bellows, and his body comes full circle, his massive tail whipping his foe downward.

" _HRRRGH!_ " Whitebeard grunts as the muscled tail strikes, his ribs creaking, some cracking from the force, and he is thrown to the ground in less than a second. The Yonko could feel every bone in his body strain, his back popping from the impact, " _Hngh,_ " he groans, struggling up. He was still gripping his Glaive, miraculously, and used it as a support, shaking off what was likely a concussion.

" _ **I will finish you!**_ " Whitebeard looks up, and a massive tail bears down upon him. Thinking fast, Newgate imbues his willpower into the ground around him, planting his feet and holding up his glaive.

 _Thoom!_

Air is blasted out as the two collide, Whitebeard's enhanced foothold holding as he parries the massive body part. " _Hyagh!_ " the Yonko pushes his foe off him, and he rears back his free hand, striking the air in front of him, and a series of cracks race toward Kaido, striking him in multiple spots.

" _ **GRAAAAH!**_ " the dragon bellows, and in retaliation, he swings his tail horizontally, sweeping from the left. Newgate quickly places his glaive onto his back, holding out his arms and catching the tail in an arm lock, " _ **Huh?**_ " Kaido tries to yank his tail from Whitebeard's grasp, but it doesn't budge.

" _Hyah!_ " Whitebeard begins spinning, carrying the massive foe in a circle, gathering momentum with each rotation, " _Hyyyaaaaargh!_ " he bellows, releasing Kaido and sending his soaring into one of the Island's natural mountains, obliterating the mountainside into rubble.

" _ **I WILL KILL YOU!**_ " the dragon roars, rising and rushing the Strongest Man, with jaws drawn wide, but Whitebeard makes no offensive moves, simply bracing his feet, " _ **MY JAWS WILL SPLIT YOU IN HALF!**_ " he blasts forward along the ground, the earth being torn up in his massive wake, and he closes, jaws wide. Then, at the last second, Whitebeard takes a single step to the right-

 _SL-CRUNCH._

And Kaido bites into his left shoulder, teeth tearing all the way through. The force carries both fighters along, but Whitebeard grits his teeth, working through the pain and grinding to a halt. Then, with Kaido's mouth still enveloping nearly his entire left side, he pulls his Glaive out with his free arm, and twirls it, holding it in a reverse grip. Then, with the sound of tearing flesh, he turns further in towards the mouth, tearing some of the teeth through his arm and shoulder, one pair of the larger canines being torn through his side, but he worked through it, and his chest was now laid against the side of the snout. "It's over," he growls, and the Yonko stabs the Glaive as far away from him into Kaido's neck as he can. Now, he had a hand-hold.

" **What…?** " Kaido is confused, but his eyes widen as Whitebeard begins to pull on the handle, slowly twisting his neck, " _ **No… NO!**_ " he roars, trying to release his mouth, but Newgate grabs the dragon's bottom jawline with his left hand, still trapped in his mouth.

" _Die,_ _ **snake**_ ," Whitebeard growls, " _HYAAAAAGH!_ " the Strongest Man bellows, pulling both hands toward him - the bottom jaw with his left, the neck with the Glaive, and slowly, so very slowly, Kaido's neck was twisted, until-

 _CRACK!_

It gives. The massive beast's body goes limp, slumping to the cooling ground. " _Hyaaaaah…_ " Newgate sighs, allowing the teeth to slide out from him, and he staggers back. His energy was waning, blood flowing freely from his left side. He slowly walks away from the body, using his Glaive like a walking stick. He pulls a small transponder snail from his pocket, the crushed body of the poor creature almost melting through his fingers. Feeling a pang of guilt, the titan slowly lowers himself, letting go of his glaive and creating a small fracture in the ground, laying it to rest.

 _Crack._

Newgate slowly stands, clutching his glaive as the sound comes from behind. He slowly turns from the makeshift grave, watching as the massive dragon slowly raises from the ground, and he grasps his weapon even tighter.

" _ **I…**_ " Kaido grunts, " **Am unkillable.** "

" _Nothing_ is unkillable to me," Newgate growls, narrowing his eyes, and he braces, preparing for another fight.


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

 **AN: Hey, all! New chapter, new day! I got a review that was wondering if you needed to go back and re-read the whole story with the edits, and I would say that it is more recommended than anything. It isn't required to understand, but newer chapters make more sense with the fresher context of the changes. Anyways, let's get into it!**

Chapter 35

-( **Kelly** )-

" _Ah!_ " I jolt awake, an acute pain in my chest. I can almost feel the speedy movement of the craft I was sleeping in, and the soft sheets of the bed give me a comfortable cocoon. Unfortunately, it's overshadowed by all this _unyielding pain!_ "Ow…" I squeak as I shift. Everything hurt. My shoulder, my gut, my leg, my chest, even my back ached, that one probably because of the trees I got tossed into. Both of my arms felt like they were jelly, and my head was pounding. Overall, it was not a good time to be an Ian. _C'mon…_ I gingerly remove the blankets, looking at all the bandages covering me. Jeez, I looked like a mummy.

 _Kid!_ I hear Shanks' voice in my head, _What the hell!? I told you not to set my ship on fire, didn't I!?_

I grimace, thinking on that little event. After beating that one guy _somehow_ , Shanks helped me get him off me, and Yasopp took him to a separate room, tied up with rope. Then, I had seen it: a massive blaze was going on right behind where I was. Shanks had told me that he had been racing down to save me when he saw some sort of 'huge fire blast' - for lack of a better term - had come out of my elbow when I punched the guy, almost like a rocket. After that, he had sent me to bed, telling me to get some sleep, and since I was exhausted, I fell asleep instantly.

 _And now we're here_ , I slowly move my leg over the side of the cot, each miniscule movement bringing another wave of discomfort and hurt. I try to put pressure on it, but a sharp spike of pain shoots through the bone, like it was an iron bar struck by a hammer, _Myeugh,_ I squirm as the unpleasant sensation makes its way up my spine. Clutching my gut as it pangs, I swing my healthier leg over, putting pressure on it and standing up. " _Hooo boy…_ " I blink as black spots cover my vision. I try to steady myself, but my bad leg gives out, and I tilt to the side, collapsing onto the floor in a blast of pain from my wounds and back, " _Oooooooooow…_ " I squeak again.

I hear a door open somewhere down the hall, and steps going down stair. Those same steps _clomp_ ed down the hall until it stopped at my door.

 _Click/Creeeak_

"Kid?" the scratchy voice of Shanks asks, "You good?"

"Yeah," I grunt sarcastically, "I'm doing just _fine_."

" _Haha_ ," the Yonko laughs, walking over and heaving me up by the armpits, "Stay here, I'll get you a crutch real fast," he sits me back on the bed.

"Okay," I sigh, face red with embarrassment. I look down at my hand, clenching it so that the strange dark liquid oozes into my palm. I stare at it, watching as it was slowly sucked back into my skin. _Nuegh_ , I shiver. That was still so friggin weird.

"And here's your crutch," Shanks appears next to the bed, two wooden sticks tied together with rope and in his hands.

"That was fast," I blink as he hands it to me.

"Well, I didn't become a Yonko by being slow," the red-haired menace grins.

"I suppose not," I grunt, taking the stick and putting it under my right arm. I stand, testing the pressure, and I lean on it. I held.

"I know your left shoulder's hurt, but it would be better if you put it under your left arm," Shanks says, but I wave him off.

"I'll manage," I say, and I stand, leaning a bit to the right.

"..." Shanks is looking away, a tense look on his face.

"I…" I raise an eyebrow, "Is something wrong?"

"Wha-?" the Yonko blinks, snapping out of his trance, "Oh, no, nothing's wrong," he says, smiling. Suspicious.

"What is happening?" I say, "If it involves my crew, then I need to know."

"Well…" Shanks replies, quite serious, "That old Captain of yours is currently ripping Kaido a new one," he grits his teeth, but sighs, seemingly melding back into his carefree attitude, "They could probably end up destroying the entire world if we let them continue for another day."

" _The entire WORLD!?_ " I screech, surging forward to shake his shoulders, but I careen forward, falling to the floor. My balance was not on point, " _But I live here! You have to stop them,_ " I say from the floor.

" _Pfft,_ " Shanks snorts, "You look ridiculous."

"Why are you so calm!?" I plant my crutch, using it as a support as I try to pull myself up. Ultimately, though, I utterly fail, slumping to the ground.

"Because," the red-haired menace grabs my good shoulder, heaving me up, "I know that we are going as fast as possible. I don't need to stress if I'm doing all I can right now."

"..." I blink. I hadn't thought of it like that, "Wait, how are you doing everything you can?"

"Well, let me show you," Shanks turns, making his way to the stairs, and I slowly follow, hobbling down the wooden hall. We make it to the stairs, and the Yonko simply walks up, standing at the door up top. He turns to me, "You just going to stand there?"

"Um," I look at the stairs, then my crutch, "A little help?"

"You can get up on your own, Kelly," he raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah," I sigh, trying to think of how I'll get up, "Coming," I work my jaw, multiple ways of movement swimming around my head. With a tentative movement, I lift the crutch off the ground, balancing on my right leg, and place it of the first step. Then, with a surge, I hop, using what little leverage the crutch gave me to get onto the wooden plank. After a slight bit of swaying, I steady my self. _Woo!_ I grin, then look up at the remaining steps. Nine to go. I start, moving slowly at first, then quickening the pace, hopping every couple seconds. Soon, I made it to the top, " _Yes!_ " I try to pump my left arm, but my shoulder bursts into pain, and I slowly lower it, " _Ow…_ "

"That was just getting up the stairs, kid," a raised eyebrow looks my way.

"Hey, in the last two days, I got pummeled, shot, stabbed, and dropped out of a tree! I could make a literal _list_ out of everything that's happened to me!" I scoff, "I'll take what victories I can get."

" _Dahaha!_ Whatever you say," Shanks grins, "So, do you want me to show you what's going on?"

"Yeah," I nod.

"Alright," He starts turning the doorknob, but stops, "Uh, you may want to brace yourself, kiddo."

"What?" I tilt my head in confusion, "Why- _Haughblackerdab!_ " I exclaim as Shanks pushes open the door and air blasts in, pushing me back down the stairs, and I slam to a stop at the bottom, arching my back as it explodes in a quick burst of excrutiation, " _Ooooow…_ " I squeak.

"You okay, kid?" the Yonko yells over the sound of rushing wind.

"Yeah…" I groan, relaxing a bit as the pain fades, "But I just got more to add to the list…"

" _Daha,_ " Shanks chuckles, disappearing and reappearing right next to me, "Should've followed my warning."

" _Rrrgh_ ," I grumble as he picks me up, tossing me over his shoulder, "All three seconds of it…"

"..." the Yonko grins, walking up the stairs and through the door, winds whipping at my face.

" _Why is it so windy!?_ " I yell.

"We're travelling really, _really_ fast!" Shanks replies, "Look!" he points, and I follow his finger to where a man enveloped in a billowing black coat and a black hat stood, a massive black blade in his hands. I watch as he rears back, a green energy slowly billowing from his blade, and he sweeps forward with the flat side, a titanic gust of wind blasting forth, and the ship lurches forward, moving even faster through the waves.

" _Woah,_ " I breathe, but I notice something else. The ship wasn't bobbing up and down. Was it just moving that fast?

Shanks stares at something in front of the bow. "Okay, I've gotta set you down here. Can you stand on your own?" I nod, and he does what he said, placing me upright on the deck, where I nearly immediately fall over due to the winds. Fortunately I'm able to stop myself before that happens, and I watch with bated breath as one of the strongest swordsmen in the world moves to the bow of the ship. I look past him to see a trough cut through the waves in front of the ship.

 _What is he doing?_ I wonder, and I look further as Shanks draws his saber, standing on the very front of the bow, and with one simple stroke, he casually cuts downward, a massive blade of crimson energy easily cutting through the waves ahead, creating a smooth path. " _Hot damn…_ " I blink in awe.

"Red-Hair," Mihawk says from behind the main sail, still blowing wind into the propulsion, "Stop showing off."

"Hey, I wasn't showing off, Dracule!" Shanks grins, and the future Warlord scowls, "That was easy!"

" _Please_ ," Mihawk shakes his head, still just sweeping away with the flat side of his legendary weapon, "We both know that took more effort and concentration than what it looked like."

" _Dahaha!_ " the Yonko laughs it off, "Well, I don't practice my flying slashes even half as often as you do, you trainaholic."

"And people on your crew wonder why I'm the better swordsman," the Strongest Swordsman raises an eyebrow, turning back to his work. Shanks just shuts up.

" _Khahaha,_ " I grin, "You just got burned."

"Yeah, well," the red menace shrugs, "He's not wro-"

 _CRACK!_

A loud noise, like the breaking of glaciers, catches everyone's attention. Even Mihawk stops his movements, the ship beginning to slow. " _What the hell was that!?_ " I hear Lucky Roo yell from somewhere on the deck. I look around, scanning the deck first, but the noise had come from in front of us. Peering at the hori- what was that?

I blink as my mind goes blank. What I saw on the horizon was a massive collection of huge, web-like _somethings_ spreading forth from a single point on the bow of the ship. They extended for literal _miles_ , taking up almost the entire sky. Then, as soon as they appeared, the slowly retracted, or dissolved, or _whatever_ they did. In shock, I glance at Shanks. His jaw was clenched, an intense look of seriousness on his face. His brows furrowed, making those eyes of his looking like white-hot fury. "W… wha…" I can't bring myself to speak.

"Newgate…" he mutters, and I almost don't hear him over the sound of the waves, "What's your game…?"

 _That was Whitebeard?_ I feel a shiver go down my spine, and I shudder. "Uh, how far away are we from where that came from?" I ask.

"Almost three hundred kilometers," Shanks replies, and I nod.

"Okay then…" I gulp, "Mind telling me in Imperial?"

"About one hundred and eighty miles," the Yonko says, and I nod.

"Okay then," I gulp, utterly intimidated, "Remind me not to piss my Captain off."

There is silence for only a couple seconds, then Shanks leans in. "Hey, kid."

"What?" I glance over for a split second.

"Don't piss off your Captain," he grins.

"..." I deadpan, pursing my lips, "That was rhetorical."

"Yeah, I know," Shanks rubs his hands together, " _Alright!_ " he yells, turning to the deck, "Let's get moving! We don't want to miss the party," a collection of nods is shared from the crew, and they all get back to work. Mihawk sends another blast into the sails, and the massive craft lurches forward. I nearly topple over, but Shanks catches my arm before I topple, steadying me. Once I am upright, he lets go and moves to the bow, holding his blade out in front of him. I quickly dig in as much as I can before the ship nearly blasts ahead once more.

 _THOOM!_

Shanks cuts a trough, Mihawk blasts into the sails with the fury of a thousand storms, and I-

" _Aughaplackasonofa-!_ "

-lose my footing and tumble to the back of the ship, where I crash into the Captain's Quarters.

" _Ow…_ "

-( **Thatch** )-

" _Ow!_ " I hear Maria yell behind me, and I instantly turn, catching the pirate who cut her arm with my free hand, slamming his head through the hallway wall while simultaneously placing myself in front of the doctor in one fast action.

" _Raaagh!_ " I see a man rushing me from the front, and I bring up my saber, blocking two strikes from his club and slashing him across the chest, " _Gack-!_ " the beast pirate tries to cry out for help, but chokes on his own blood. I grimace as some of the stuff spurts onto my white chef's suit.

 _It was either him or me_ , I tell myself. I turn to Maria after scanning for anyone else. The hallway was empty. "Are you okay?" I ask, and she rolls her eyes, already bandaging the wound with a roll of cloth from her medical bag.

"I'm fine, Thatch," she puts the roll away and pulls out an already bloody scalpel and a fistful of syringes, placing the syringes in her various cargo jacket and pants pockets, "You focus on getting the crew gathered."

"Yeah…" I mutter. We had been fighting like this for about ten minutes after those goons had blown a hole in the side of the ship. We'd cut those idiots down fairly quickly, but a few had managed to slip away, and another wave had flooded in before I could pursue. Now, we were moving through the innards of the ship, which was slowly filling with water from the bottom-up, taking out anyone who got in our way. But how did they manage to get close enough to board us? The only way they would be able to increase speed is to lose weight, and Jack wasn't dumb enough to throw away food or ammunition. I could feel his presence somewhere outside the ship, that presence nearly covering Kaido and Pops'. _Damn it!_ I berate myself, _This shouldn't have happened!_ _I should have been paying more attention to my Haki! I was thinking so much about Haruta and Kelly…_ no _, Thatch, you are_ not _making an excuse for this,_ I order myself.

" _Gyaaaah!_ " I hear a yell from down the hall, and I gesture to Maria.

"Let's go," we both jog to the end, taking a left.

"So, do we have a plan, Thatch?" the good doctor asks, and I feel ahead with my Haki.

"Haven't had much time to think," I respond, sensing two men with negative intent through the wall to my right, standing close to a scared presence, and I cut through the wood, two _thumps_ hitting the floor moments later, accompanied by a shocked gasp. I wanted to help whoever that was, but I needed to find my Lieutenants, "Been busy fighting."

"Well," Maria sighs, "I suggest finding Haruta. He's probably already awake by-"

" _HYAAAAAAGH!_ " a scream of rage bellows forth from _somewhere_ , and I hear a loud crash, accompanied by cries of pain, " _I'LL SHOVE THOSE HORNS GROWING OUT OF YOUR HEADS_ _ **RIGHT**_ _UP YOUR ASSES YOU FUCKING RHINOCERESES!_ "

" _Hehehe!_ Well, he's certainly lively this morning," I chuckle, "His insult game is on point."

"Unfortunately, it sounds like he's destroying the ship," Maria groans, "You need to teach him control."

"I don't think it's possible to control _that_ ," I grin mischievously, getting caught up in my apprentice's energy, "But we should probably find him before something bad happens.

" _Hm,_ " the doctor nods, and we set off at a faster pace, quickly making ourselves through the bowels of the ship and towards Haruta's Haki, which is reflecting his emotion of pure anger and hate. We close into the training room, and I hear the sound of breaking cartilage.

" _Stupid! Fucking! Friend-hurting! Assholes!_ " with each word, I hear another _crack_ , " _I'll! Fucking! Destroy! Your god! Damn! Bloodline!_ " Maria and I enter the training room to a scene of Haruta bent over a full-grown man, holding him up by the shirt, and pummeling him with his free hand, turning his face into something like ground beef.

"Jeez," I raise an eyebrow at the kid, and he turns around, jumping in shock, and drops the man not a moment later.

" _Thatch!_ " He hops off the guy, "Wh-what's going on?"

"Oh, not much," I muse, glancing around the room, "Just guys attacking the _Humpback_ ," the room was torn to shit. Hundreds of splinters were scattered around, the floor nearly cut in two, and dozens of slashes were splayed across the walls, "You do all this?"

"Y-yeah," he looks down, hiding his bloodied hand behind his back.

"You really did a number on him," Maria walks over to the man he had dropped, checking his pulse, "Well, he's alive. Not sure for how long, though."

"..." the young swordsman squirms under my fairly serious gaze, "Stop looking at me like that!" he finally snaps, "These guys attacked me in my sleep! Look!" he shows me his arm, which had a long cut along it, which was bleeding profusely, "One guy tried to stab me!"

"So you slashed and beat them all into bloody paste," I look around, dozens of Beasts Pirates sprawled out along the floor. Some unconscious, some not, "You lose your cool and go for the jugular too much."

"Hey, I woke up to a knife in my face," Haruta scowls, "I think it's justified."

" _Mm,_ " I nod sarcastically, then look at Maria, who was treating the man's wounds, "You stay here and treat who you can. Make sure to tie them up afterwards."

"Already my plan, Thatch," she says, not even looking my way.

"Right," I purse my lips. _She doesn't need your advice, idiot,_ I berate myself, _She's one of the smartest people in the Division._ "Well, Haruta?" I turn to my student, "Let's get up-top and try to figure out the situation with Jack."

"Yeah, yeah," he sighs, drawing _Ikari_ , and we begin to leave-

" _Argh!_ " we stop as a man flies through the hall in front of us, multiple holes torn into his chest.

" _Bahaha!_ " a black and yellow cat-man laughs maniacally, stopping for a moment to morph fully into a cheetah and get on all fours before disappearing from view as he pursues his prey. He didn't even notice us.

"See," I smile weakly, and I glance at Haruta, who was just confused, " _That_ is why I don't want you to lose your cool. You may end up enjoying the feeling like him. And he's a literal animal."

"Yeah," he gulps, "Message received."

"So," I gesture to the door, "Shall we?"

He grins, gripping his weapon. "We shall," and with that, the two of us speed off towards the deck.

" _Hyah!_ " a yell of fury causes us to stop as we are moving through the halls, and I look down a hallway to where Karen is taking on a group of larger grunts, all of the grunts' weapons on the ground. I could see a couple broken arms, and more than a few broken wrists already. Then I make a split-second decision to help everyone in what time we had.

"Haruta," I start, but my students turns to me.

"Oh, no," he shakes his head, "No, no, _no_. I am _not_ working with _her_."

"Kiddo, this isn't the time for petty rivalry or _whatever_ it is," I frown, "All I'm asking is that you move through the ship and get whoever you can find. Start with Karen, gather the civilians of Geas, the other Lieutenants and the Sergeants, and get them as high in the ship as you can, understand?"

" _Rrrgh…_ " Haruta growls, " _Fine_. But you'd better introduce me to some new sword form for this…"

"No promises," I say, and zoom off before he can protest more. _Now, where is the exit?_ I ask myself, and roam around, the clock ticking. Some hallways were already beginning to have water trickle in, and I could've _sworn_ that the ship was starting to tilt to the side. I felt out with Haki, searching for those that couldn't help themselves, and left my path to help whoever was close enough. I could feel Jack's presence dominating a huge amount of the area, almost masking everything else, but I could feel a few smaller presences above me, which wouldn't be a problem. Soon, I found the stairs and burst through the door at the top, exploding onto the deck.

" _Hm?_ "/"What's that?"/"Who's there?"

And coming face to face with an actual _deck_ full of horn-headed idiots, at least eighty in total. "..." I blink, and the pirates stare right back.

…

" _Get 'im!_ " one of them yells, and a tidal wave of bodies rushes towards me.

 _Goddamn it,_ I grit my teeth, and charge back, covering _Toonkigō_ in Haki. " _Piercing Decibel!_ " I yell, and stab my saber forward, much like Haruta's _Gust,_ and a powerful blast of wind tears through the men in front of me, making a path through the crowd which I immediately exploit, rushing through to the center, " _Psycho on the Dance Floor!_ " I yell, relaxing all my muscles and moving as fast as I could, rushing to every man in a ten meter radius and letting my arms and blade slash, thrash, and go wild. I didn't think, only acting on instincts alone. I got the idea from watching Raver fight a large crew that had managed to make it into the New World but attacked an Island we were stationed on. It was lethal.

" _Gyagh!_ " the last man I pummel cries as I knock him overboard, and he splashes into the ocean below, the spray creating a miniature rainbow. Turning, I look at the carnage I caused. Bodies were strewn about, limbs dissected, amputated, and torn to shreds. Blood spattered the deck, soaking into the boards and slowly pooling into puddles of gore. I wince as I see a man squirm, clutching at his bleeding gut, and I grit my teeth.

I stand tall, looking at the seven men who remained. "Surrender or end up like them, I don't care which," five of the men slowly backed away, one slipping in blood and landing on the bodies of his comrades, but the other two grasped their weapons, one with a club, the other with a rifle.

"I'll charge him if you shoot him," the one with the club says to his friend, who was shaking where he stood.

"Y-yeah," the shaking one stammers, lowering the barrel of his weapon.

"Surrender now and I'll spare you," I tell the rifleman, but the clubber stands in front of him.

"Shut up, Whitebeard," he scowls, "I'll kill you and get promoted to All-Star!"

" _Of course you will,_ " I mutter, and the man charges. _Goddamn it_ , I sigh, and I casually slice through the wooden weapon, watching as the man's confidence becomes pants-shitting fear.

" _Wha-?_ " he blinks, but I surge forward, jabbing his chest wit6h my fist and sending him flying fifteen meters over the sea.

"I warned you," I click my tongue as I hear the _splash_ , but move my head to the side as a _crack_ from the rifle sends a shot flying past my ear, "Dude, come _on_."

" _Eep!_ " the man who shot stumbles back, dropping the rifle. He was clearly terrified, and I take into note that the other man had coerced him into doing it.

 _Hrm,_ I think to myself as I walk up to him, _I should cut this guy some slack_.

" _P-please, no!_ " the gunman scrambles back, pressing up against the railing, " _I-I don't want to die!_ " the other five men looked on with grim fear as I walk up to him.

"Relax," I say, holding out a hand, "You were pulled into that. Even a dead pig could tell that much."

"B-b-b-" the man stutters, unable to spit out the words, "But you said you'd kill us if we attacked!"

"No," I shake my head, "I said I'd spare you if you surrendered. And you're clearly surrendering."

"..." the man stares at me in shock, mouth agape.

"I'll still have to tie you up, though," I shrug, and I gesture to the bottom of the mast, "Mind making it easy for me?"

"Um…" the beast pirate gulps, "Whatever you say…"

"Great!" I grin, "I'll get the rope," I turn, and grab one pooled a couple feet away, turning back to the group of men, who were already lined up, backs against the mast, "Thanks," I nod, quickly zipping around them all, encircling them multiple times, then pulling it tight enough to hold them all.

"Yeah…" one of the other men chuckles nervously, "No problem…"

" _Rrrrgh!_ " a voice growls from a ways away, that overwhelming presence spiking in intensity, and I turn around to see the towering form of Jack, standing on the deck of his massive mammoth-themed ship, " _Cowards!_ "

"..." I clench my jaw, glaring at my enemy, "How did you catch up to us?"

"We were a little heavy," Jack grins maniacally, "So we had to lose some weight," he jerks his head to the side, and I look to the sea.

 _Uh-!_ My eyes widen as I see men thrashing in the sea, being tossed from each ship, _He's throwing his own men overboard!?_ I stand there in shock.

" _Fire!_ " I hear Jack yell, and cannons _boom_. I look up to see grape shot soaring towards the sails of the _Humpback_.

 _He's trying to slow us down!_ I grit my teeth, rearing back with _Toonkigō's_ flat side and sending a blast of air at the hundreds of tiny pellets soaring at my ship. The typhoon makes contact, sending the balls of steel flying in every direction, peppering the ocean and Jack's fleet. Some even went back at Jack himself, bouncing off his hardened hide.

" _Rrgh_ ," I hear the titan growl, and he turns to his men, "Load all cannons! Blow that ship out of the water!" moments later, I get a creeping feeling up my back as a fleet's worth of cannons slowly turn to target my ship.

I knew that my ship couldn't take any more damage. We were already slowly sinking into the sea, if we took hits from those cannons, dozens of people would drown in the ocean, and I couldn't let that happen. "Jack," I say, "You-"

 _Crack._

I'm cut off as an unholy sound tears through the air, and I look in the direction it came from, right off the port side of the bow. A massive spiderweb of rends in reality spread out for kilometers, the epicenter of it being where I assume the Island is. _I know that move_ , I think, and a grin slowly spreads across my face. " _Hehe…_ " I chuckle, and I glance over to see Jack staring at the same place, a look of terror slowly spreading across his features, " _Hehe… Hehehe… Hehehehe! Hehehehe!_ "

Jack snaps his attention back to me. " _What's so funny!?_ "

" _Hehehe!_ " I bust a gut, combing my pompadour with my hand, " _Hehehe!_ "

" _Rrrrgh…_ " Jack slams his fist down, " _ANSWER ME!_ "

"..." I immediately go silent, putting on a serious face, staring into Jack's eyes, "Do you want to know something, Jack?" I ask, and he twitches, seemingly angry with my sudden change, "Even if you kill me here, _even if_ you slaughter _EVERYONE_ in this ship…" I stab my saber into the deck, "You will never win."

"How do you know that?" the titan growls, and I walk up to the railing of the _Humpback_ , jumping onto it and squatting.

"Because," I stand, "Right now, my Captain is probably beating yours to a bloody pulp."

"Even so, Captain Kaido can't die," Jack scoffs, "And once he kills your _precious Captain_ he'll hunt the rest of you down personally."

"Yeah…" I glance back at the cracks, which were slowly fading, and place my hands in my pockets, "Sure he will."

" _Don't you mock my Captain!_ " Jack roars, and I _move_ , disappearing from my railing and reappearing on his, right in front of him.

"Or what?" I say, raising an eyebrow, "You'll kill me?"

" _Rrrgh!_ " the All-Star tries to slash at me with one of his curved blades - he must've gotten new ones - but I imbue my right hand with as much armament as I can and bring it up, stopping the attack in its tracks.

 _Ow…_ I grit my teeth as my body strains, just barely holding back Jack's immense strength. Somehow, I hold, and stare my foe in the eyes. " _Leave,_ " I hiss through grit teeth, "And I won't tell Pops about this."

"..." anyone at this point could tell that Jack was furious, likely past any kind of negotiation, " _FIRE!_ " he bellows, and I immediately _shave_ back to my ship, yanking my blade from the deck. I grip the hilt as dozens of cannonballs soar towards me, and I leap into the air, bouncing off of it left and right with _Moonwalk_.

" _Hya!_ " I yell, and slice at every cannonball that I could see, moving faster than any Paradise Pirate eye could see. Any cannonballs that I thought wouldn't hit the ship I let go, but any others were turned to dust and shrapnel as I move through them all, cutting a swath of destruction. The moment I landed back on the ship, there weren't even any scratches on the wooden finish of the deck, "Try harder!" I call over to my enemy, and Jack is clearly angry.

" _GYAAAAH!_ " the mammoth-man bellows, " _YOU DARE TO MOCK ME!?_ " he turns to his helmsman, " _RAM HIM!_ "

 _That ain't good,_ I blink, and frantically search around the deck for a solution. There! There were a couple stacks of cannonballs of the deck, near my cabin door, and I rush over, grabbing the top one. "This will do nicely…" I grin, and move back to the railing, rearing back with my arm, " _Yo! Here comes the pitch!_ " I yell, and fling the iron ball at the _Mammoth_ 's side, punching a hole where the hull met the water, and grin with satisfaction as water slowly begins to flow into the lower decks.

" _You damn-!_ " Jack growls as he looks over the side of his vessel, " _BLOW HIM OUT OF THE WATER! EXPLOSIVE SHELLS!_ " he orders his fleet, and I gulp as I feel the intent of dozens of gunners aiming for the _Humpback_.

" _... Oh, shit,_ " I squeak as the guns blast, sending orbs of black iron and gunpowder flying at me. I couldn't slice these, they would explode and I may not be able to guard myself properly, especially given how much my Haki seemed to have flagged, but then I remember the cannonballs. Rushing to the piles, I grab multiple black iron orbs and start tossing them at each enemy shot.

 _Boom!_

A series of explosions rock the air as orange flames lick at the sky, billowing black smoke and shrapnel bursting outward as my hits plow through, keeping enough momentum to soar out, whistling through the air before _crashing_ into the ocean, some even hitting enemy ships. I rapidly move, picking up and throwing as many cannonballs as possible, dozens being thrown in half a second. My arms begin to ache at the pace, but I grit my teeth and power through - my crew needed me to do this. Seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity, but after only five, the volley ends, the last shot soaring towards me. Confident, I look down, reaching for a- where was it? There was supposed to be a cannonball right here! _Did I already throw it?_ I look around in a panic, searching for another shot, but none were to be found. I'd already burned through my ammunition! I could see the _Mammoth_ had already begun turning, moving to crash into the _Humpback_ , and that last shot was closing in. In a split-second, I make my choice. Leaping up, I jump off the air, stopping where I saw that shot was going to hit. Encasing myself in Haki, I bring up my hands, and the moment it is about to hit, I shift to the right, turning left. Quickly wrapping my hands around the volatile object, I pull through, redirecting its course, and I spin until I am facing the _Mammoth_. " _Catch!_ " I yell, and I cup my hands behind the cannonball, giving it extra force and sending it flying at the _Mammoth_ 's rudder.

 _Boom!_

The shell explodes, tearing the wooden construct to driftwood, leaving Jack unable to steer. I look up, seeing the shock on the Disaster's face. " _Ha!_ " I smirk, "Suck it Garp! Who's got the best arm in all the line? _This guy!_ "

-( **Marineford** )-

" _HAPTHOOIE!_ " a massive sneeze blasts forth from Monkey D. Garp's nose, shakes the massive tower fortress, causing a piece of the roof over the Vice-Admiral's head to fall, _cracking_ on his skull, "Huh," the old man sniffs, rubbing his nose, "That came outta nowhere," he shrugs it off like every other instance and puts his attention back to the rice cracker in his fingers, " _Mmmm,_ " he opens wide, about to bite down, savoring the salt-

" _ **GAAAAAAARP!**_ "

"Ah, damn," the veteran slumps in his chair, still munching on his favorite snack despite the obvious danger as he glances toward a picture sitting on his desk of him and two young boys. On the right was one boy, wearing a blue shirt with the number fifty-six, smiling incessantly as he pulls at his Grandpa's beard. The other one was turned away, arms crossed, that wavy black hair taking the Vice-Admiral back to the good ol' days, when it was less about signatures and more about hard work and grit. He missed those days. The old man smiles, imagining the day when those two boys would set out to sea, wearing that same white and blue he did. Opening his mouth, he reaches back into the rice cracker bag-

 _CRASH!_

" _ **GARP!**_ " A massive, golden hand bursts through the roof, grabbing the Vice-Admiral's head before he has a chance to take a bite, " _ **Mind explaining why ALL OF THESE ARE COVERED IN DRAWINGS!?**_ "

" _BWAHAHAHA- Grk!_ " his laugh is cut off as he is lifted up through the ceiling, brought face to face with a glowing, furious, blood-vessel popping giant, who was holding a file in his hand, dozens of swirls that Garp barely remembered scribbling out of boredom.

And he had been incident-free for almost a day, too…

-( **Thatch** )-

" _Damn you Whitebeards!_ " Jack steams, wanting to kill me but knowing that he couldn't from where he stood, "Once I kill you-"

"Oh, shut up!" I raise an eyebrow, "You and I both know you won't be able to do that anytime soon, so give it a rest!" He knew that I wouldn't let any shells reach the ship, so I was clear for now. I turn away from him, moving to the poop deck. Remembering that the _Mammoth_ had already begun to turn, I glance at it and see that it was on a course toward us, we would crash together either way. But, if I could just get us going faster… I grip my blade, drawing it and turning it so the flat side is facing me, and I look at the sail that was flared up. _Hold, please,_ I pray, focusing, then swing my sword to the side and sweep, sending a gust of wind into the billowing white sheet.

 _Fwoom!_

The sail snaps taught, catching everything I sent at it, and I feel the ship lurch forward. _Hehe! Now we're cooking with gas,_ I grin, and repeat my action, quickly making distance between us and Jack's fleet.

" _What!?_ " I could hear Jack's veins popping from all the way over here, " _NO!_ "

" _HEHEHE!_ " I turn, sticking out my tongue and flipping the mother off, just so he would get mad. It may not have been a good idea, but I needed _something_ today.

I could see the pure and utter rage embedded in Jack's face, and the titan bellows. " _RRRAGH! I'LL MURDER YOU!_ "

" _Sure you will!_ " I grin, then turn back to the sail, readying my blade. He couldn't turn to chase us with that busted rudder.

 _CRACK!_

 _Oh, fuck my hubris_ , I gulp as I look behind me. I saw Jack, squatted at the base of his foremast, arms wrapped all the way around it. I watched with slowly increasing horror as he pulls and wrenches, the bolts holding the massive log to the deck popping, and I hear a massive _snapping_ noise somewhere from the innards of the _Mammoth_. It was like the ship itself was screaming as the entire log was torn from its body. " _What the hell!?_ " I run to the railing, " _What are you doing!?_ " I didn't understand. He was mutilating his own ship, but why!?

" _You won't escape from me, Thatch!_ " the giant fishman lifts the shattered mast over his head, marching to the front of the _Mammoth_ and spinning it, shoving the sail into the water.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding," my jaw almost hits the floor as I watch Jack pull the makeshift paddle back towards himself, pulling the massive ship to the correct course, "Screw that!" I rear back with _Toonkigō_ and send a simple flying cut at the mast, but it is quickly covered in a black shell, and the attack doesn't deal any significant damage. _Goddamn it,_ I grit my teeth, turning around and sending a quick blast of air at the sail, lurching us forward. I could hear the sounds of water sloshing behind me, gradually closing, and as I look back I notice Jack moving like a demon, a crazed look in his eye, closing faster than expected, "Oh, _hell_ no!" I send three blasts in quick succession, putting us at the fastest speed I could take it.

" _Don't you run from me!_ " a bellow sounds, and I glance back again. We were slowly starting to gain distance, but I wasn't confident I could keep it up for long. Flying slashes took so much focus, and there was a buzz in the back of my head that I couldn't place. But, as of right now, I was slowly losing him.

 _If I can keep this up…_ I grit my teeth, my muscles beginning to ache as I sweep back and forth.

" _Rrrrgh!_ " Jack growls, " _Lose more weight!_ "

" _Aaaah!_ "/" _Argh!_ "/" _Nonono-!_ "

I hear panicked voices and screams of fear as more men _splash_ into the sea. _Bastard…_ I glance back and see Jack slowly picking up speed, men falling from the sides of the ship live wood shavings at a carving shop. I could feel the buzzing in my head slowly getting louder, weakly vibrating my skull. Even more men were thrown from Jack's ship, the _Mammoth_ beginning to gain faster than before, _Shit, shit, shit!_ I try to pick up the pace, but I could feel the _Humpback_ dragging, and I could hear water sloshing a few decks down. I stop, focusing with my Haki, and sense a cluster of people near the bow, the farthest point from Jack. But, wait, I sensed some more, a few floors down. There was a group of four across from a single one with negative intent. But, I couldn't worry about them right now- what was that?

" _I'm coming for you, Thatch!_ " I hear Jack bellow, but I'm not paying attention. My Haki is blaring at me to move, and I could feel something coming toward us. Jack's presence was clouding it, dominating my sense, but the sensation was slowly coming through, like Pops and Kaido's. But, if it was strong enough to overwhelm _Jack_ when I couldn't even see the thing, it had to be-

 _Swoosh._

I see a crimson flash on the horizon, a gust of wind slowly blowing through my pompadour. The clouds above me, directly above Jack and I, were splitting from Geas towards us. That- _OH, SHIT!_ I realize what was going on, and quickly grab the _Humpback's_ ship wheel, quickly spinning it as fast as I can to the right, and I feel the ship lurch sideways. Keeping my speed, I rear back, sending a rapid blast of air at the sail, lurching us out from under the path of the splitting clouds. I look to the starboard side, and catch sight of a massive red spike cutting through the ocean, moving towards the fleet, and I see Jack out of the corner of my eye, desperately trying to turn his unwieldy ship out of it's inertia.

" _Turn, you damn-!_ " I hear him yell.

 _FWOOM_

I am forced back into the wheel by a huge blast of wind as the crimson blade passes, bisecting the _Mammoth_. Splinters flew, wood cracked, and large waves flow, creating a split path in the middle, and the water sloshes against my ship. I catch sight of a single ship, plowing through the path that crimson energy made, and it quickly moves past, and I catch sight of a single man standing on the bow of that ship, the image of a skull with a red scar painted on a black sail, two sabers crossed behind it. As the ship passes me, I see the man standing on the bow, red hair flowing in the wind, saber in hand, and he glances at me, waving his saber up in a salute. I hesitantly bring up my hand, ass flat on the deck, and a bead of sweat makes a trail down my forehead. As the ship moves, I look at all the people on the deck - a fat man with goggles, and skinny blonde with a rifle, a grey-haired smoker in a cape, a tall man with a monkey on his shoulder, another blonde with a cape, a tall man in sunglasses, a mustachioed man with what looked like a wooden training sword, a man clad in a billowing black cape and hat, sending blasts of green winds at the black sails, and a younger man with honey-blonde hair, wrapped in bandages and supporting himself on crutches. However, as the red-haired man passes me, he grits his teeth, and a massive pressure tries to crush my head. I grit my own teeth, focusing and resisting the Conqueror's Haki with my own willpower, but have to clutch my head as it begins ringing. Then, as quickly as they had come at us, they were gone, blasting towards the horizon. " _Ha… ha… ha…_ " I pant, slumping into the wheel. I look to the _Mammoth_ , now two halves of a ship, and I can see Jack desperately paddling at the water, trying to keep himself afloat.

"...!" I see his lips move, screaming something at his crew, but I couldn't hear it through the ringing in my ears. I watch as the bow Jack stood on slowly sunk into the sea, and buoyancy lost with the other half of the ship, and I see the wooden beast crack, splitting further. Then, Jack is enveloped by the ocean, sinking into the depths.

" _Ha… ha…_ " I struggle up, the ringing slowly fading from my ears, and my Haki was no longer ringing. I reached out, searching for Jack, and I sense him sinking further down, likely going to the depths. He _was_ a Fishman, but unless he was found, he would die down there. _Thank god…_ I think, and I'm finally able to focus, able to think, _That was Shanks_ … I realize, the shock of it fully hitting me, and I fall to my knees, spit and bile bursting from my mouth. " _Hrgh!_ " I stand, wiping off my mouth, and look around. It didn't seem like any of Jack's fleet was conscious - I had to thank Shanks for that if I saw him - and what was left of the _Mammoth_ was driftwood, "Alright…" I muse. The _Humpback_ was going to sink, anyone could tell that much, so I needed to get one of Jack's fleet to accommodate. I feel around my ship, feeling no active people. I would have to help them all get to the new ship. I wasn't sure how long I had, but I needed to-

Wait.

 _Was that Kelly on that ship?_

 **AN: Well, hope you enjoyed! See you next time!**


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